Starquake: Homecoming
by YunikoYokai
Summary: Sequel to Starquake: With a crew now upon her shoulders and one problem leading to larger disaster, Endellion Shaik feel the pressures of being the new Captain of the Starquake. She struggles against those who would otherwise bring her to heel and endanger the lives of the entire Galaxy. She knows what few others do; Saboteurs lie ready. Their aim? Destruction of all advanced life.
1. Chapter 1

_The Fact Sheet and Timeline have been updated for this chapter. Please see profile for the link._

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A quiet hum radiated through the entire room, my constant companion these days. Granted, without that faint hum, I could safely guarantee the opening of the gates of hell and the beginning of Armageddon. Again. The room was dark, the sole light a dimmed holographic clock beside me. Dim as it was, it was still bright enough to cause me more than a few sleepless nights. At first, anyway. It bleated out its pitiful alarm, another poor attempt to drag me out of bed. Why oh why had the ability to change the alarm been locked from me? And why was it secured for a 7:30am start? I growled tiredly as I swatted at it, making pathetic whimpering sounds as my hand passed through air, failing to make contact with anything solid.

Alright! Fine! I'm up!

I hurled the duvet off me, opening myself to the slight chill of the room. Shuddering, I crawled myself to the bottom of the bed, grumbling as I stretched the distance between me and the desk to finally silence the alarm on the in-built computer. I promptly lost my balance and fell flat on my face onto the void between desk and bed. I snarled slightly, although I was too tired to put any real menace into it. Whoever programmed that alarm was fired. Or was welcome to a one way trip out the airlock, either were fitting punishments at this point. I scrubbed my face with my hands, dragging myself to my feet so I could listen to the hum around me without the comfort of a rough carpet on my face. I sucked in a lungful of air, an attempt to rouse me. I was not a morning bird, not by any extent of the words. I glanced to the bed over my shoulder, the warm, inviting blue duvet of the double bed... I wasn't going anywhere near that slab of furniture. I had learned from the last time I collapsed back on that bed and fell asleep. I didn't need another bucket of cold water thrown over me. I rubbed my neck as I slowly trekked down three steps to the lower half of my room, quarters, whatever they called it.

It had been nearly a month since the _RSS Starquake_had left Sur'Kesh with me, Endellion Shaik, as its new captain. Why the salarians had chosen a web feed code for the ship class, I'll never know. Oh, that's right, I snorted sarcastically, 'Rotary Star Ship'. I was dreading even the thought of reading the engineers reports about the rotary system's current condition. As each day passed, it was slowly breaking down. How it was still rotating now was beyond me. But I was getting side-tracked. It was morning, I had to stick to the 'routine' if I wanted to be able to wake up automatically in the future.

"Marshal," I summoned sleepily. More awake than I, the royal purple drone whizzed into view, bounding eagerly before me with its dizzying 3-rotating outer plates. I had originally programmed it to blue, back in the day, but I decided purple was more fitting. I rubbed an eye with the heel of my hand. "What time is it?" The combat drone, my new nanny as it were, beeped as a digital dial formed before it. I blinked blearily. 8:12AM. Huh, new record. Well, I suppose I had to discount that engine failure morning. I never wished to rocket out of bed at 4 in the morning due to an explosion rocking the entire ship again. That had been a bad, bad day. I could still hear the alarms and flashing red emergency lights in my sleep. "Thanks Mar," I patted the spherical drone, dragging myself into the bathroom for a well needed shower.

And the water was cold again today. Brilliant. If I ever found the brainiac behind powering the vast majority of the hot-water system with only _one_ of the engines – humorously, the failed engine, I snarled – I was going to fillet him like a fish. The cold water did wake me up, if nothing else, although the sourness of my mood was not improving. And then I realised my hair was misbehaving. Under normal circumstances, the flamed copper mass stayed relatively flat. Until an alarm clock disturbed it, then it curled like highly strung coronal loops. It was more common while on ships than on a planet. A lack of moisture seemed to be the cause. So I had to spend even more time in the freezing water to sort that out. I was _not_ letting anyone see me with tightly curled hair. Merida from _Brave_ may make it look fabulous, bloody animated Scot, but it was about as attractive on me as a barrel on a fat man.

Ah, but I was fussing now, distracting myself with minor issues when I had worse things to contend with. I frowned, remembering the pile of work I still had ahead of me. Illium was only a mere few days away. We could refuel, the engineers could finally look at the engines and rotary system and maybe we could have hot water, finally! But then there were the worries, especially since I had heard some strange sounds the past few days. Alright, alright. No more hiding, I grumbled. I gladly dried myself, relieved the towel heater still worked when everything else was breaking down. I didn't even have to leave the bathroom for my ever loyal drone delivered some fresh clothes for me. I adored Mar, he was an all-purpose badass nanny.

So I finally tamed my hair and pulled on the clothes. It was a bog-standard military uniform, dyed to try and add some uniqueness to the garments. Short sleeved with charcoal black base and dark purple stripes fanning up the sides of my stomach to wrap around the underside of my arms. I had thin shoulder pads with four stripes and 3 stars, marking my rank. The trousers were plain black with dark purple stripes running down the outside. I patted down the pockets, knowing full well I would be stuffing them with something sooner or later. I also hated these military boots. Very uncomfortable.

Then I left the room, again, peaceful. A few stairs separated me from the rest of the officers' cabins. I was within the highest room on the ship, so I got plenty of windows. Whether that was safe or not though... I sighed as I strode down the navy hall, ghastly white beams curling over my head. They would have been better if they were blue or a darker grey. Hell, even add lights to them and make them blue. I shook my head as I hit the button, striding into the elevator. Again, whoever designed this ship knew I hated slow elevators. This thing took _forever_! It was easily worse than the Normandy elevator.

I was only going down one floor. The crew deck, Deck 5, held the sleeping quarters, bathrooms, kitchen, mess hall and Med bay, weirdly. I would have preferred it on the third or fourth, saved an elevator ride for the wounded. Ach, I didn't commission this ship, I had to bear with the kinks, especially in these early days. I preferred the mess hall, design wise, I needed to get the general design throughout the ship. Thin, shaped fake-wood panelling brought a little bit of home aboard a 'military' vessel, if you called us military. Pale orange toned lights warmed the room, helping it feel cosier. It reminded me more of a contemporary home than a ship. I much preferred that, personally. A long bar which held the cookers, fridges and everything else, hogged the port side, the medical bay on the starboard. A bundle of 8-seater tables filled the space between, more chairs decked the outside rim of the counter tops.

I made a beeline for the coffee machine. I desperately needed something to wake me up this early in the morning. Thankfully, we had been gifted with a good coffee machine. I was a gleeful schoolgirl as I took the boiling mug to a table, reclining in the still and silence. I took out my datapad, getting my daily scope on the galactic news. I had half-an-hour of utter peace and tranquillity. And the coffee in my system had certainly improved my mood. Now all I had to do was-

"30 minutes gone! Go! Go! Go!" A distorted female voice cried.

I was petrified in place as a mass of people suddenly poured out of the woodwork. I was deafened by the arrival of about 20 people, all holding datapads. I was surrounded by turians, salarians, the odd drell and krogan. I was able to make out a few words; 'Report for', 'Good Morning', 'Maintenance', 'Captain', 'Problems with'. I blinked, keeping my gaze straight ahead of me as my datapad filled with dozens of reports. Several people made salutes before they vanished for another to press in close.

Then it was silent, the people disappearing once more into the ship. I blinked finally, for the first time in 20 seconds. I took a long, long draught of coffee, scalding my tongue on purpose. Well. I had forgotten that happened in the morning these days. With utmost care, so not to disturb any fury or frustration boiling up, I began to browse the reports I had been gifted. Crew resource report; we needed more levo-amino food soon. Maintenance reports, travel reports, lab reports, engineering reports. And that was before I touched on the reports relating to crew members. I felt my head clear after about 15 minutes. The coffee had settled my sour emotions down.

"Raisha," I called, eyes fixated to the datapad. The krogan always hovered nearby. I knew it was she who approached, the heavy footfalls and deep female chuckle were the obvious signs. I glanced up as the pale skin-toned, honey-crested female krogan stood beside me, sky blue eyes dancing. Her pale peach skin tightened as her mouth flicked upwards.

"Yes, captain?" she answered, tone ripe with amusement.

"Ha, ha," I answered sarcastically, sighing as I returned my attention to the reports. "I don't see Lanster's reports here,"

"He is preparing for a Mass relay jump, he requested time to complete the manoeuvre before giving you his report, Endellion," the krogan answered easily.

"No worries, just wondering," I finished the coffee. I shook myself out, removing the last signs of frustration out of my shoulders. The captain was finally creeping out. "Any sign of Mat'al these days?"

"Still locked in the labs, trying to calibrate these machines of his," Raisha answered solemnly.

"He'll be glad when the extra scientists come aboard," I commented, finally pushing myself to my feet. "Indira," I summoned as I stared towards the female bathroom. The blue-toned female drell poked her head around the elevator column, biotic blue eyes alight with mischief.

"Yes, Dellion?" she asked, skipping over to me.

"We need to have a chat about the uh... 'report delivering'," I flexed my fingers beside my head. The drell sulked.

"We can't give you reports until you've got your coffee, we can't give you any reports until said coffee wakes you up, we aren't allowed to send you reports until your hair is presentable-" Indira listed.

"I did not make that rule, Indira," I scowled.

"I recall that you did, Endellion," Raisha grinned. "After the engine failed. I believe it came around when Valérien failed to cease laughing until you put your Carnifex to his head," I flushed, trying to smother the embarrassment. _That_ was why I was so fussy with my hair. If there was one thing I could not stand, it was giving Val any more ammunition against me.

"So when can we give you our reports when we can't give you them before 8:30 and you need to be awake for at least 30 minutes?" Indira sulked. My... I... really did made a lot of rules for the morning, didn't I?

"Just send one person with all of the reports, say 'Good morning, Endellion-"

"Captain," Raisha and Indira both corrected. I glared at the two females as they laughed at me.

"Fine, 'Captain'," I snorted. "'Here are the reports. Have a nice morning'. It isn't that hard,"

"And who, the poor soul, will be the 'sacrificial lamb' as you humans call it," Raisha asked, amused. I coughed, trying everything to cool the heat escaping from my face. Indira giggled, dancing on the spot as I squirmed. I suppose my temper had become infamous... I cleared my throat, trying to compose myself to answer. Indira, my officer in charge of Intel and Raisha, my XO, both waited with amused expressions.

"I volunteer as tribute," a flanged, male voice sounded, laughing. I swung around, a finger already pointing at the copper coloured turian. His emerald eyes glittered, the teal markings on his face catching the light. He was grinning. "Good morning, sleeping beauty,"

"I am not in the mood for your shit, Valérien Autillin," I warned.

"You never are," he winked. I fumed. "But here I was, about to give you a wonderful report on our arms predicament," he nearly sang.

"And I don't need reminded about that!" I groaned. "Yes, I know we barely have enough functional guns for everyone. Yes, I am aware we don't have enough spare parts to fix said broken guns. And I'm also aware of the new bloody regulation requiring all guns now require heat sink clips, to which we barely have any! I know!" I glared as the turian easy took the battering, smirking smugly.

"All true, apart from one fact," he began. I straightened my expression, waiting. "We no longer have enough functional guns for one per crew member," I was still, feeling my eye twitch. "Also, Engine 2 is beginning to make strange sounds," My arm twitched. I wanted to punch a salarian. The salarian who assigned the resources for this shit! I took a slow breath, calming myself.

"Is it in the reports?" I asked, tone strained. Val snorted.

"I hope so, otherwise we might end up being two engines down," Val sighed. I shuddered. "Yeah. We don't want that,"

"If we lose another engine, we don't travel at FTL. I am not going to push my luck with the other four engines holding out long on their own with their track record," I covered my eyes with the heel of my hands. "Make sure Lanster and the engineers know, please,"

This was why I hated waking up in the morning.

"Sure, I'll go up and speak with Lanster. I think we are about a day and half off from arriving on Illium. We're going to need fuel, parts... well, all that is in the reports," Val shrugged.

"We don't have an awful lot of money as it is, Val," I sighed. "I can't even afford to pay you people!" I flopped my arms uselessly. I probably should have thought about money before accepting Mat'al's crazy idea.

"The STG is still declining to fund us?" Raisha asked. I snorted violently.

"Of course. They want results before they pay a bloody credit," I sighed. "Hopefully they'll pay us when we pick up the rest of the scientists on Illium," I stared at my datapad, at the numerous reports awaiting my attention. "I'm heading down to the labs. Val just…do what you can with those bloody guns," Val saluted, eyes lighting up. I nearly snarled. He _knew_ I hated people saluting me.

"Aye, aye, captain," he answered before flicking the saluting hand forward a touch, striding off towards the engineering ducts. Huh, so that's how everyone was getting around... I couldn't blame them. Although the engineering team was beginning to complain about the number of people stepping over them while they worked. I had to find a way to speed the bloody elevator up. Or add stairs. Stairs were good.

"Alright, dismissed ladies," I sighed. I hated sounding so official, so much like the captain position I never even asked for, but it was the only way to be rid of them! Raisha and Indira both saluted, Indira giggling insanely before bounding away. I scowled. "And we'll talk about the report delivery times later!" I called after her. Raisha just grinned before abandoning my side.

The long elevator gave me time to read another report until it coughed me out on the 3th floor. Exiting the elevator, I ignored the bustle of the CIC. Mass Relay jumps were always this hectic, especially when our engines were concerned. I spotted Shayan, a red, white and gold quarian bent over a console on the inner ring of the multiple computers surrounding the galaxy map. It wouldn't appear until I parked my ass in that damn chair. I heard Lanster's voice ringing over the intercom. Sounded like we were having technical difficulties. Again.

"Shayan," I summoned. The twitchy quarian bounded in surprise, gawking in my direction. I strode over, slipping my datapad back in my thigh pocket. "Problems?"

"Ah, Captain, good morning," he saluted. I scowled, but he was able to get away with it, he had been saluting and calling me captain long before I even had this ship. "Well... you could say that," he glanced to the console.

_"Putting it mildly, of course,"_ Lanster's flanged voice broke over the intercom. I sighed.

"What's happened this time?" I groaned.

"We are losing some pressure in the fuel lines. We're in the process of trying to determine where the problem is," Shayan explained carefully. I ran a hand down my face, trying to ease the headache trying to bounce on me.

"Is there any part of this fucking ship that isn't falling apart?" I hurled myself into the high-backed leather chair in the middle. The galaxy dome flared to life immediately. I stared at the blinking locations of the mass relays, the dozens of sparkles of stars. The _Starquake'_ location was a flashing red dot. We were almost on top of a mass relay. I snorted sourly. Pushing myself to my feet, the map vanished. More than a few eyes were on me, watching intently.

"Mar," I called. My drone flew to my side, bouncing happily. "Help the engineering team if you can. We need to make this relay jump," Mar chimed, hovering over to Shayan, awaiting orders. Shayan gave me a faint smile. That mask hid everything just about. "Please, for the love of all that is good and holy, we _must_ make this jump. Also, Lanster, I need that report once we complete the jump,"

_"Aye, aye, captain,"_ Lanster called. _"Sershin can give you it if you are absolutely desperate,"_

"Na, you're good. I think you need your co-pilot as it is without me bothering you," I answered, waving a hand.

_"Indeed, although if we had more flight computers it would most certainly help,"_ A distorted male voice chuckled. I smiled slightly. The older drell, Indira's mentor, was just the calm I needed for the hot-rocket that was my pilot.

"Sorry, can't help you there," I answered. "Alright Mar, follow their orders, ok big guy?" the drone bounced endlessly, desperate for its order.

_"Thanks captain. Marshal, get down to the engineering deck and trace the fuel lines for engines 1 through 4 and engine 6,"_ Lanster called over the intercom. Mar bleeped before whizzing past me, disappearing down a small vent. I gave Shayan a pat on the shoulder, turning to the doors on either side of the elevator. I waited in the small container as I waited for the all clear from the decontamination. The second door eventually opened.

I was assaulted by the noise. I listened to yells, calls, swearing, orders, clanging. Noises I prayed would ease in the coming week. I strode around the war room, temporarily a storage room. The glass sided walls gave me a clear view of the carnage awaiting me on the other side of the room. The silver walls were alight with coloured screens and holographic screens, the floor was covered in spare bits of metal, bolts and general packaging as the teams struggled to pull everything together. A heard a few 'captain' greetings as I struggled to make any headway towards the VI core in the bottom corner. The room was a mass of salarians, all swearing or grumbling about things not fitting or otherwise being a pain in the ass.

"Saldan," I called. The murky red salarian glanced up from his work. I could see strain marks around his dark brown eyes. "Have you seen Mat'al at all?"

"Check the test rooms. Maybe he's there," the fast talking salarian answered. "Uh, captain," he added hastily.

"Relax, Saldan. You guys have been working your asses off. I think I can be a little lenient about political correctness," I watched his shoulders drop slightly.

"Thanks, Dell. If I see Mat'al before you, I'll let him know you're looking for him," he offered a cheesy grin. I beamed. Finally, someone who didn't call me 'captain' all the bloody time!

"Great, thanks guys. Keep up the good work," I gave them a salute as most managed to raise a hand to their foreheads, even if they were crouched over something. I then began my battle to cross the room to the three smaller rooms across the way. Either could hold Mat'al. I paused as a krogan strode passed, carrying a crate. I grinned slightly. Most people didn't have much to do, so the majority of the teams, aside from the engineers, were in here. Co-operation was always pleasant to see.

I didn't have to go far before I heard the sound of Mat'al's voice.

"We need those compressors operational if we have any hope of getting the spectrometers online. And for Wheel's sake, be careful with that!" I heard his voice crack. I struggled to reach to the white faced, dark skinned salarian. He was busy dishing out orders when I stepped beside him. "Get the memory banks over the VI core, we need that space clear for the electromagnetic testing equipment! You, I need the data banks A and F in their housing-" He paused, stared at me as he recognised who he was giving the order to. I raised an eyebrow. He eventually sighed. "This is not a good time, Dell,"

"Tough shit, I need to talk to you," I sighed, trying to gather myself. Mat'al had managed to shoo me away several times already, however, today was different.

"Do you have 245 systems to install onto partially working systems?" Mat'al began, starting another spiel of his multiple problems. I drew my eyebrows down. I was in no mood for this. "Do you have four tons highly sensitive equipment to set up before the intel teams can do anything? Do you-"

"What I have, Mat'al Delern," I snapped over the noise, the room quietened for a time. "Is a ship falling apart, a second engine on the brink of failure, a fuel pressure issue that may prevent us from completing a relay jump, rapidly dropping supplies of food, four major power supply problems, an unstable drive core due to poor bearings, not enough functional guns for the entire crew and 38 people who aren't going to be paid because the STG refuses to pay up! Don't you dare tell me that your issues are more important than mine!" I thundered.

Mat'al was quiet for a time, studying me aloofly as I glared up at him. I did not startle him, not by a long shot. This salarian had trained me to be competent in combat but had failed to alter my non-combat character. He was still trying to adjust to my newer, more confident self that was slowly cracking out of its shell. I had Raisha and Indira to thank for that. Mat'al finally released a sigh, gently rubbing the back of his head. I allowed tension to ease out of my shoulders. Yelling at this damned salarian was the only way to make the highly stressed alien listen for 10 minutes.

I doubted he knew of half the problems with the _Starquake_, not with so much riding on him to get the labs and intel rooms up and running.

"Apologies, Dell," he rubbed his eyes. "I suppose it is easy to be distracted with your own issues," I smiled, trying to be reassuring. I was captain, people looked to me for strength. I just prayed I had enough to withstand the coming weeks.

"I know. Listen, I need to meet with all the commanding officers at 2pm today in regards to Illium. You are the one who has been arranging these new scientists coming on board, we need you to tell us what is happening with that," I explained.

"Dell, I can't leave... " Mat'al began before staring at my eyes, watching them harden slightly. He eventually sighed. "Aye, aye," he grudgingly responded.

"Good. My quarters, 2pm. Don't, be, late," I pressed. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a relay jump to supervise. Let's hope engine 2 doesn't fail, otherwise we can kiss installing your systems goodbye," the salarian's eye twitched, understanding. "Delern," I saluted. Mat'al straightened himself slightly.

"Shaik," he responded carefully. Mat'al did not salute to me. Ever. Or call me captain. I never knew why but I never complained. I nodded, a satisfied smile on my face. I turned to leave the room.

And being the strong, confident and graceful captain that I was, I got my feet caught in some plastic packing tape.

I could only squeal helplessly as I face planted on the floor.


	2. Chapter 2

_"ETA to Illium is 20 minutes, captain,"_ Lanster's voice crackled over the intercom. I glowered up from my position on my couch, upon the raised plinth that occupied half of my room. I was glowering at a camera in the corner above my bed.

"Thanks, Lanster. And can you tell – goddam it! – tell Indira to get up here, please," I asked between my grunts. There was a long pause as the pilot processed the 'command', watching me on the cameras.

_"...You're still struggling with the armour, huh?"_ he sounded amused. My glower evolved into a glare.

"Of _course_ I'm still struggling with my fecking armour! Now stop laughing and get Indira up here!" I snapped. I heard Lanster laugh merrily before he signed off the intercom. I growled softly under my breath as I struggled to pull the boots on. God_dam_ this was tight! I knew we had to skimp of some of the fancy armour attachments but this was ridiculous! I sighed in relief when my calves stopped crying, boot secured. Well, at least they wouldn't fall off! Maybe.

"Need some help, Dellion?" I heard Indira laugh. I glared at the bouncy girl as she skipped over, a grin spread wide over her face.

"Why else would I invite you up this close to docking?" I grumbled as my cheeks inflamed. Indira laughed cheekily before snatching up my other boot. Using her biotics, she freed the clamps holding the metal plates together. "We need the elasticated clamps," I added.

"Couldn't afford them," Indira countered dismissively, snapping the clamps around my lower leg.

I sighed as I fought with the chest plate. The drell was too smug for my liking as she freed the clamps that had hindered me thus far. The Rosenkov Materials armour had been my preferred style; simple looking and didn't have that annoying 'boob-plate' either. It also nicely increased the recharge rate of my tech abilities. The overall base was dark purple with neon purple lights, but streaks of a lighter purple shade ran over the main chest plate and running down my sides. I cursed when a clip nipped the skin when the gauntlet was finally snapped in. Eventually, I finally managed to get bloody dressed. Indira had no such trouble with her black Serrice Council armour with plain blue stripes down her sides. As if she needed the extra power boost that armour gave her...

"Ok, ETA, Lanster?" I called. That turian was always watching me. I swear someone told him to...

_"10 minutes, captain,"_ the turian's voice answered. I grumbled slightly. 10 minutes to get ready? God, we needed to upgrade _everything_; engines, armour, guns, shuttles, shielding for the ship, new flight system set up... arrh! How I was so terribly desperate for some money to finally flow my way!

I decided to cheat and take the engineer tunnels down to the CIC, Indira took the elevator. I handily beat her by 3 minutes. She stuck her tongue out at me, stung by the loss in the 'race'. I just rolled my eyes as I eyed Illium on the projected 'windows' on what would have been the second floor of the CIC... if it wasn't just a walkway. I stared at the blue marble, lights dancing along the darkened edges. This was to be our first ship docking since leaving Sur'Kesh. Actually...

"Lanster. The _Starquake_ _can_ fly under atmosphere with four engines, one nearly ready to fall off and another on the brink of failure, yes?" I listened to the silence as the teams of aliens around me gave wary looks to each other. I drummed my fingers on my arm as I ran my tongue over my teeth.

_"I was... hoping you wouldn't ask that, captain,"_ Lanster's reply finally bounced off the intercom system. I clucked my tongue loudly, carefully trying to control the panic that was slowly hazing my vision. _"I-I mean everything should be ok but the rotary may seize up since it hasn't been disengaged it since we left the STG. I-It'll be fine!"_

"Lanster," I began, tone cheery. All eyes were upon me. "Get us on the ground... in one piece preferably. Please. Especially since the thought of the Reapers laughing at us for falling at the first hurtle is hardly comforting," My tone had slowly been degrading, my fear leaking clear in the still. That may have spurred everyone, since the CIC became a clamour of activity as people clocked every movement of the _Starquake_. The engineers were in constant contact with the flight crew. I began a slow pace around the inner ring of the now bursting command hub. That pace only increased once Lanster's voice rang over the noise.

_"Nos Astra Command, this is the _RSS Starquake_, requesting a landing vector," _the flanged voice sounded as the radio banter began.

_"Nos Astra Command, roger that, _RSS Starquake_. You are three days behind schedule," _the female, probably asari, voice responded.

_"We have had some engine problems owing to our delay, Nos Astra Command," _Lanster's calm voice responded. How could he be calm when the _Starquake_ could fall out the bloody sky?!

_"_RSS Starquake_,, if you require any assistance, we can arrange equipment before attempting entry. Otherwise, landing vector granted," _the asari sounded so indifferent, as if crashing wasn't a bother to her at all. Goddam, this was not helping my blood pressure.

_"Roger that, Nos Astra Command, we will attempt entry before requesting equipment. We have the capacity to exit atmosphere if necessary," _I hoped Lanster wasn't saying that to ease my fears. If the rotary seized...

_"Roger _RSS Starquake_. Have a save entry. Contact us when you are flying stable," _the asari finished.

_"Thank you, Nos Astra Command. _RSS Starquake_out... I really hate dealing with asari controllers," _Lanster grumbled once contact had been cut.

"Just land, please," I squeaked, clearing my throat harshly afterwards. I wanted to hide my flushing face, despite the attention being attracted elsewhere. Endellion Shaik, mighty captain of an Anti-Reaper task force, was about to die in her first planet landing as captain. Bloody typical!

_"Engines brought to idle. Disengaging rotary system," _Sershin informed, the flight deck a baggage of noise and activity. I suppose they were having their fun up there as well.

I bounced lightly in place for a moment as nerves gripped me. Please _Starquake_, please don't kill me yet! I spun around to the rear cameras. I watched the massive ring slowly releasing its stability girders, leaving just the outer ring holding the engines. I held my breath. The outer ring began to split, the engines parting three on each side. The metal girders would help create the leading edges of the wings that were forming, more metal telescoped out from the now split rotary system as the engines slid down the wings into position, six loud clunks announcing that they had locked in place. My eyes nearly popped out my eyes.

Did... something just go right?

_"Rotary safely disengaged, securing outer plates,"_ I heard Lanster call out. The fanning plates that marked the unique shape of the _Starquake_ began clinging to the sides, telescoping and slipping under one another until a smooth, seamless skin ran from nose to tail. _"Engines powering up to entry levels, now entering Illium's atmosphere,"_ Lanster announced.

It took a few moments, but soon I was watching fire streamed up the sides of the _Starquake_. I was impressed the cameras weren't melting. I was clenching my teeth together as the _Starquake_ quaked, worrying about the engines falling off the wings. I did not trust my luck. I stared across the room, towards the cockpit. Val glanced over his shoulder from his position at the foot of the stairs, one hand on an orange hued screen. He grinned.

And then the fire vanished. I was surrounded by clouds and blue sky. The shaking eased as we began to level off. My eyes were on the screens, staring at the skyline of a massive city before me. Towering glass and metal skyscrapers, so delicately thin, pierced the clouds. We soared over a massive sea, heading straight towards a concentration of air traffic. The sun caught the glass of the buildings, reflecting it like mirrors. I had never been so happy to be on a planet once more.

In one piece as well!

_"Nos Astra Command, this is the _RSS Starquake_, entry now complete. Requesting permission to dock," _Lanster sounded so smug as he came back into contact with the tower.

_"Roger _RSS Starquake_, permission granted. Please proceed to docking bay J71-A. Nos Astra Command out,"_ the tower responded, almost monotone. Lanster did a brief thank you reply, but he was probably put off that his skills as a pilot we hardly being recognised. Easy way to fix that!

"Lanster, you are – hands down – the best pilot I have ever flown with," my relief was overwhelming. It would crash down on me once we were secured in the dock. I heard Val laugh from across the room.

"Oh God, don't say that. It'll go straight to his head!" he called over to me.

"Piss off, Val. You ready to go?" I retorted. The copper turian grinned.

"Always, captain," he responded casually. I raised an eyebrow.

"Good, then you can get Mat'al and Indira," the turian's superior expression fell. It was _my_ turn to become smug. I knew Val hated dealing with Indira. And Mat'al, ever since those blasted computers became such an issue. Val opened his mouth, plates furrowed. "That's an order," I sang. He openly glared at me now. I would have laughed in his face if I could. He grumbled.

"Aye, aye, Captain," he complained quietly as he stomped out of the CIC, muttering under his breath. I grinned as he passed. Finally got one up on him!

Until he had gathered up the officers for the mission, I kept my gaze on the enclosing city, watching the skycars below me dance in anarchical rows. The city lights, combined with the reflected sunlight, was blinding as we slipped past massive towers and footpaths miles above the ground. Then the traffic of ships ramped up. Ships of all sizes and designs swallowed us up. The school of fish all moved towards dock. And then I saw Dock J, the massive skyscraper, taller than most I had seen already, reminded me of a gaping giant. It swallowed us whole as she slipped into 71-A. The _Starquake_ hovered, waiting for the docking clamps to lock it. The engines were silenced.

And now, time to be captain for the first mission. I hated this bit... I hit the intercom on the panel before me.

"Alright everyone, we have arrived in Illium. Thank fuck for that!" I sighed, resting my hands on my hips. "Someone buy the flight crew a drink, they have earned it. Engineers too once they can take a break," I heard a cheer from the cockpit. Let them relax for now. "Engineering team, I need you guys on those engines. I want a full report by the time I come back. Intel team, I want you guys to handle the requisitions. We don't have a lot of cash to spare, nevertheless, the engineer team get dibs for the engines. Food and fuel are the priorities, so I don't want to see fancy bedsheets floating around. And I don't care how scratchy yours are, scratchy quilts are better than starvation!" I gave Iona, the steel grey female turian with the amber markings on her face, a meaningful gaze. Her eyes narrowed on contact.

We weren't friendly.

"Ground crew to the airlock, we move in 5!" I finished. The room cried 'aye aye, captain,' as the crew moved onto their duties.

The engineers were already bustling out the airlock. Their eyes were only for the engines. I prayed they could get them fully functional once more. I stretched as Mat'al finally crawled out the labs, finally wearing his armour again. His Mantis sniper rifle was secured on his back. His silver speckled navy eyes slipped to me as he moved towards the stairs. I followed him with my eyes, concerned. These new scientists had better relieve some of the pressure off him, I needed him in good health. He wasn't a young, bounding salarian anymore.

I remained in the CIC for nearly 4 minutes before moving to the airlock. As I hoped, the ground crew was all there. Valerian, Mat'al, Indira, Jacques Krysin – a dark silver turian with off-white markings with sap green eyes – and Aroqoul Jour'sa, the rust red salarian with a green stripes under his gold eyes. All but Mat'al saluted as I approached. I tried not to shudder at it. Had to be professional now. We were taking a small team in since we had to include a larger team on the return trip.

"Everyone ready?" I asked.

"We are. And remember, Endellion," Mat'al began. I sighed.

"Don't wander off, don't pull a gun out, don't sign anything, don't make eye contact with anyone, don't talk to anyone, we collect the scientists and are back on the ship ASAP," I echoed from his ramblings during that meeting. "I'll be careful," I eventually sighed under his critical stare.

"We shall see," Mat'al answered simply. I held my grumblings to myself as my combat mentor mentally straightened my spine with a good threat. He was actually pretty good at hand-to-hand, a field I was particularly weak in. That and his air-rounds, air filled bullets, were beginning to hurt badly. Especially since he was aiming for the same spot over and over again. I still had bruises on my back from the last round. I shook my shoulders out as we waited in the airlock.

Once the door freed us to the planet's surface, the captain had vanished and an awed child appeared. The sleek floors, the crystal glass, the brilliant neon lights. A truly alien world. I was hypnotised by the foreign text, the asari aliens who dominated the offices on the other side of the text engraved glass. I was following, rather than leading, the ground crew towards the exit of the dock. I couldn't see the city yet but... it was close. I gave a quick glance to Mat'al as the calm salarian began tracking towards a circular door. It gave a quarter circle twist before disappearing into the floor.

The city lay before me.

The noise was what hit me; cyber squeals, low hums. In general, the city was like a slightly quieter, brighter 2010 city. I frowned. Cities held their own character and this one... I wasn't sure. This was my first proper city on a planet, the Citadel could hardly count. Actually, this was my first functional city on a planet. Feros was a colony in an ancient city long abandoned, Noveria had been a research facility, Virmire had been so filled with krogan and indoctrinated turians I could hardly call the facility a proper location. I sighed as I turned away from the scene, back to the crew around me.

…

Where was my crew?

You are kidding me... you are fucking kidding me! Not even two minutes in and I had already lost the team. I stared at the bustle of people around me. I had walked towards the plant-lined balcony to stare at the scenery. Mat'al had probably powered ahead... and Indira hadn't noticed either? Or had she and she decided it would be fun to watch me squirm? Shit!

"Mat'al?" I called. A few of the asari glanced at me as they passed, a few Volus – a species I had very little contact with – as well. And they looked a touched annoyed. I approached a nearby asari who seemed to run a shop. "E-Excuse me, miss," the dark blue asari smiled, probably assuming service. "S-Sorry, have you seen a group of aliens walk by? Two turians, two salarians and a drell?" the smile faltered slightly.

"Ah, I think I did, not many drell around," she pointed down towards my right. The crowd thickened substantially. "We sell several components you can add to your omni-tool that allows you to track people-"

"A-Ah, n-no thanks. T-Thank you for the help," I made a hasty escape, earning a severe frown from a displeased saleswoman. I swallowed as I began entering the thick of the crowd. I was very short compared to most of these asari. The vast majority were at least a head or two taller than I. There would be no way for someone to spot me in this mess, even with my flaming ginger hair.

I spent the next 15 minutes getting bumped around, tripping over stumpy volus and earning a few stares and glares from the asari around me. I managed nervous smiles as I tried to find a clear spot for me to try and locate someone or something prominent. I eventually found a quiet spot near the edge of the pedestrianized area. I could make nothing out of the crowd around me, there were barely any salarians at all and none of them were dark skinned. No drell, didn't even see a turian. Shit! Oh fuck, I was so dead! Ok, ok, deep breaths Dell. It's easy, just go back to the docking bay. Mat'al can't scold you if you were safe in the _Starquake_. Yeah, let's do that! I turned to the crowd.

The horror creeping on me only enhanced my panic as I stared around the unfamiliar landscape.

Where was I? Where was the dock?

FUCK!

I dropped onto a bench, eyes the size of dinner plates as I let the full scale of what was occurring sink in. I was on a strange planet, lost my crew, lost my way and I had no idea how to convey my location to the crew. I stared at my omni-tool, hands shaking as I reached for my messages. I had to make contact, had to find help!

"Hello?" I nearly screamed, leaping back as I stared up at a nearly pale purple asari. She initially jolted back in surprise but eventually she smiled softly. "Are you alright ma'am?"

"A-Ah. Y-yeah, I'm ok. J-Just got separated from my friends," I shrugged. "I'll find them soon," Oh please, let me just get back! "A-Actually, could you tell me w-where Docking Bay J71-A is?" the asari blinked.

"Oh certainly. It's just over there. I can take you there if you'd like," She responded. My hope soared.

"T-Thank you very much, I-it would be very much appreciated!" I could almost kiss this asari! The asari smiled before starting to walk alongside the edge of the bustle. I followed, trying to see if I could make out anything that was even vaguely familiar. Nothing was springing to mind, though. For now, I was just trying to memorise landmarks. The downside to this city, however, was that most of the buildings were very... monotonous. Same colours, holographic trees, same skyline. It didn't help, not in the slightest.

"New here?" the asari asked. I blinked, startled by the start of conversation.

"Y-Yeah, pretty much," I smiled. The asari laughed softly.

"It isn't so bad, everyone is very laid back and eager to lend a hand. I... well, would it be rude of me to ask a favour?" she asked carefully. I nearly tilted my head to the side in curiosity.

"Maybe, why?" I asked.

"Well, I'm trying to get signatures for a petition to help give more support to new, small companies on Illium. As you can understand, being such a massive port it is very hard to settle your roots here. Do you think you could sign it?" she asked, running her hands along her cartilage covered head.

"A petition? Well, I-I don't see why not," I shrugged. The asari burst into a wide beam.

"Oh thank you! You would be doing me a huge favour!" she brought out a datapad, passing me a pen. "Just sign on the dotted line," I took datapad and pen, staring at the blank screen before me. There was a dotted line but was otherwise blank. I went to touch the pen to the surface.

"Endellion?" a voice rang out.

I leapt a mile, eyes flying everywhere. I knew that voice, I heard it a hundred times. I locked eyes with someone nearby, slowly moving out from the bustle of people. My eyes widened, I dropped the datapad and pen. The purple asari spun around, nearly glaring at whoever had interrupted. I was struggling for words.

"L-Liara?" I managed. The pale asari's face spoke of shock, maybe even disbelief. She came jerkily, as if unsure as if to approach.

"Endellion, Dell... Y-you are... alive? Oh, thank the Goddess!" she nearly ran to me, enclosed me in a tight hug.

"Liara! Oh it so good to see you! I've not seen you in ages! How have you been?" I exclaimed, joyous. Liara T'Soni, one of the closest people I had known on the Normandy, was here? The asari was gripping my shoulders, as if not believing the solid human before her was I.

"You survived Noveria, we had heard rumours but nothing conclusive. What are you doing here on Illium?" she asked.

"Ah, well my crew and I came here to pick up some new crew members to help us tackle a Reaper issue. But I kinda... got lost... in about 2 minutes," I flushed, coughing to hide the embarrassment. Liara tutted softly, hardly serious though. "But this lady was helping me back to my dock," Liara blinked, turning to regard the pale purple asari. I blinked. The purple girl seemed to have lost a lot of colour…

"Ah, Caria T'Slerka, still tricking newcomers into signing indentured servants forms, are we?" Liara asked, her tone turning cold. I blinked. What? The asari panicked.

"A-Ah, L-Liara! N-No, I-I was j-just a-asking t-this young g-girl to sign a p-petition a-and-" the asari stammered. Liara bent down, plucking the datapad off the ground. She expertly navigated through it. "G-Give t-that back!" she demanded.

"My, my. You have been busy, so many people... Oh dear, looks like you haven't transmitted any of this data back to your employer. Wouldn't it be a shame if someone were to... erase that," Liara gave her a meaningful look. I gaped as a blue aura surrounded the asari, crushing the datapad into tiny pieces, tossing most of them over the edge into the abyss below.

"No! What have you done! Do you have any idea what you have do-!" Caria started, but she saw my expression, saw how it was moulding into pure, molten hatred, she froze.

"You were tricking me?" I asked quietly, hands twitching for the Carnifex pistol at my hip. Caria stared between Liara and me before panicking. She fled into the bustle of people, nearly screaming. "Bitch! Get back here, you whore! I'm going to rip your goddam spine out and shove it down your throat!" I did hear her scream then, people yelling and collisions occurring in the crowd as she fled. "OI!"

"Colourful, but effective," Liara agreed, almost amused. That snapped me out of my haze of fire. Bitch tried to make me sign a bloody…sign a…sign… I flushed as the realisation of my near miss hit.

"Oh fuck! Mat'al warned me! He fucking warned me!" I nearly banged my head on the edge of the balcony banister, gripping it in my hands. Ah, what the hell. I banged my head as hard as I could, surprised and annoyed I didn't knock myself out. "I'm such a fucking idiot... "

"Come now, Dell, don't be angry with yourself. You can be told a thousand times but experience shall always be the better teacher," Liara reasoned.

"But I should know better! Oh damn, he is going to gut me like a fish!" I ran my hands through my hair. "And what's Val going to say? And... oh Raisha... Shit!" I slapped my hand over my mouth in horror. "I'm so dead... I told them I would be a horrible captain! I told them!"

"Captain? You are a captain? Already?" Liara asked, her tone surprised. I stared up to the pale asari, her eyes curious. I flopped my arms by my side.

"It's a long story. A-A lot has happened since Noveria," I sighed heavily.

"Well, why don't we go somewhere and catch up. Garrus told us that he saw your name flying around C-Sec at one point but then everything just... vanished," she prodded gently. I gave her a sad smile.

"It's... it's too long and sensitive a story to explain here. B-Besides, I need to-" I began. Liara grabbed my arm suddenly, eyes in the distance. I furrowed my brow, following her gaze over towards a nearby building. Was that a red laser pointing over he- oh fuck...

"Get down!" I snapped at the same time Liara hauled me to the ground, hiding behind the solid metal banister. A shot rang out. The banister pinged loudly, a dent appearing on our side. Screams pierced the din. "Bastards! Who the hell are they? Goddam it, not even here a goddam hour and I'm getting fucking shot at," I grumbled.

"Shadow broker agents," Liara frowned. "Well, I was hoping they wouldn't have tracked me down this quickly," I stared at her. Shadow broker? The... information kingpin as it were? He was after Liara? "Ok, Dell, stay here and I can lure them away-" she stopped when she saw me hurl an Incinerate across the way, a few yells and curses ringing out as they dodged it.

"C'mon, you bastards! Bring it on!" I yelled. "I'm in a foul fucking mood and I need to kill something!" I ducked as the laser trained on me. I winked the Liara. "Let's clear house," Liara was quiet as she studied me, keenly watching me pull out my Carnifex.

"It seems you have... changed a little," Liara commented. I laughed, my blood bounding through me at the thought of a fight.

"Just a little," I smiled grimly. "Come on, as if I'd let some morons target my friend and not help," Liara smiled as she eventually pulled out a Predator pistol.

"I know where their temporary base is. This way," Liara began creeping, keeping her head under the metal barrier.


	3. Chapter 3

So that was how I spent a good portion of the afternoon. I was having the time of my life, I muttered sarcastically. I winced at the grenade explosion just on the other side of our cover, grumbling at how my ears were ringing. I never really had a chance to see Liara in action, but she seemed to have found her cool. She had a nasty habit of being fairly jumpy in battle before, as I recalled from the other ground crew observations. Not too dissimilar to myself, I reasoned. I missed combat with something I was allowed to kill. It helped refocus me on something that didn't require me to worry endlessly about a 45 man team that all depended on me. Here, it was Liara, the Locust, the Carnifex and I. Nothing else. I could finally let my hair down and just not worry about the larger things in life. I reloaded the Locust, savouring the sound I had not heard for a month. I was tempted to slip in that incendiary ammo we had in stock. I doubt the Combat team would appreciate me taking special ammo without permission though so... better not-

"Ah, you bastard!" I cried as bullet crashed through my shields and nailed me in the shoulder. "Fuck that hurts!" Thankfully, the armour did prevent it from touching skin but _damn_ it stung! "Oh, that's it! Mar! Kick their asses!"

I nearly threw the drone at the aliens on the other side of this warehouse. The vivid royal purple drone beeped rapidly, growing higher in pitch until it smashed a batarian in the face. I burst into giggles as he ping-ponged between him and a turian. He finally, and repeatedly, smashed into the head of an asari before a sniper took him out. Thank God his data was stored on my omni-tool and not on that semi-solid drone!

It was one of the very many reasons he was just an awesome little robot!

"Well... that works," Liara smiled slightly, although her gaze indicated she was too distracted by a deeper emotion to be amused by my strange fighting techniques. "Combat drones tend not to make physical contact though,"

"Ach, where's the fun in that?" I grinned as I bounded out of cover to push us forward, deeper into the warehouse. Liara started forming words, probably a warning. I tried to aim an overload but missed horribly and ended up zapping myself. I cried out as I crashed behind cover, jittering. "Fuck! I hate this thing!" I snarled as the tingles slowly faded, waiting for my shields to recover. I heard Liara laugh then. It only made me scowl harder at her. I winced as a bullet flew past my head. "Missed me, asshole!" I jeered.

That was when I noticed the human right above me, omni-blade ready to strike.

"Aw shit!" I rolled out the way, squealing like a pig. Why do people get so close?! The human chased me, hurling curses at me. "No, nononononono! No hand-to-hand! No! Help me, Liara! Save me! Oh Christ, I can't deal with hand-to-hand!" I leapt over the cover she was hiding behind. I only heard the human yell in surprise before seeing his body soar across the room. I flushed at Liara, trying to prevent myself hyperventilating from the surprise.

"And this, Endellion," Liara grinned, tapping me on the nose with the butt of her gun. "Is why we don't get cocky when it is two versus an army," She even patted my head! "Deep breaths, calm down. You still have your crew waiting for you back there," I flushed heavily, face glowing in the dim. Liara aimed her pistol casually, taking out a few guards.

I suppose I was getting a bit too bull-headed for my own good. I winced as a bullet slammed into the cover at my back. I couldn't just let everything go as I had anticipated, I sighed sadly. There was literally no escape from this stress. I still had a crew waiting for me... Ok, deep breaths. You can do this Dell, one day at a time. I swallowed my first breath, crushing the embarrassment down as harshly as I could. I shuddered at the second, trying to remember what was at stake if I got myself killed. The third was calmer, the battle blindness that I loved delving into to forget my problems fading to allow Raisha's emotional training to guide the courage trained into me by Mat'al. After the fourth, I aimed my Carnifex and took out four guards before reloading.

I loved fighting things I could kill or destroy. It was like a drug, distracting me and carrying me somewhere... away from all the stress and anxiety. I didn't realise just how much it affected me until I was loaded with a massive crew, a ship and a mission that was always on the brink of failure. I had been absolutely cowardly, had been sickened by the thought of killing someone just months ago and yet…yet maybe discovering Nyryntha had changed something in me, maybe realising I was carrying a monster was too much for me to bear. I breathed slowly. Just had to remember to keep calm. I didn't need Nyryntha rearing her head.

Just thinking about that Reaper steadied my resolve. That blasted machine was somewhere inside me, just begging for a chance to take over, to help the Reapers return. Not if I could help it, I snarled to myself. I reloaded with purpose, carefully proceeding with Liara close behind. Small pushes forward. Just small ones. I kept glancing in her direction, worrying. No longer neck deep in battle lust, I was now all too aware of how fragile we were. I was too used to having people with a fair whack of soldier experience around me, or at the very least the body mass of a whale. So to have Liara, someone who had only had about as much military time as myself was...

Just shoot and stop thinking about it. I snapped my gaze onto an asari. A few, well aimed Locust rounds finishing her off. We eventually reached a door at the end of the warehouse, leading into the next warehouse. I sighed as I checked my ammo situation. It wasn't looking too healthy. The Locust powered through shots too quickly. Dammit, I hated these bloody heat sink clips!

"So tell me something," I began, spying some ammo lying on a batarian. I slipped away from the door, snatching it off the corpse before returning to the door. "What's with the Shadow Broker thugs, huh?"

"Let's just say that the Shadow Broker was not pleased that one of his trades went a bit off track," she reloaded her pistol. "And then he took a friend. I will find him, if only I can just find some information that will lead me in the right direction..."

"Hey, hey," I soothed, noting the way her brow furrowed and her eyes heated. "We'll find your friend, kick the Shadow Broker in the balls and destroy all the Reapers in the universe," Liara managed a strained laugh.

"Speaking of which, do you have any ideas of how to deal with said impending Reaper threat?" Liara asked me casually, taking a cautious look through the door.

"As soon as I find a way to deal with the one in my head, then I'm pretty sure I can find a way to stop the rest," I grumbled. I reloaded the Carnifex. Bloody Nyryntha, why didn't she just- I winced as the headache roared to life, the first in many days. Yeah, that Reaper didn't like me. I shook it off, endured. Once I was finally able to see straight, I straightened my back. "Right, let's deal with these... Liara?" I stared. Liara was almost gaping at me. I blinked, confused, for several heartbeats before the words I had just spoken smacked me in the face. "Ah... I... didn't mention Nyryntha before now, have I?"

"Ny... ryntha?" Liara asked slowly.

"My Reaper, to be exact," I flushed. "I... well to put it bluntly, after your mother sent me to Saren during the Noveria mission, I found out I was something called a 'Saboteur'. It's kinda like a Reaper sleeper agent, essentially." I shrugged uselessly. "I'm apparently unusual because my Reaper isn't in control of my body and I am still... me," I laughed nervously. "S-So yeah! If you start thinking odd things, I'm probably indoctrinating you... sorry," I flushed. That sounded...v ery inadequate.

"...Give me the run down while we clear out this room," Liara managed to say flatly, although judging by her tight expression, she was hardly impressed with my quick explanation. I sighed as I glanced through the door.

"Deal," I managed a smile as I rolled into some cover in the room. I flinched at the bullets aimed my way. Liara stayed behind the wall until it was a little safer to move in.

"What happened on Noveria?" Liara called, her pistol firing off over my head. I reloaded my Carnifex before answering, popping out of cover to shoot a human in the head. Although, it would help if I actually hit the head. Bloody shoulders were too big a target.

"I managed to kill that Rachni that dragged me down the vent, but I had been attacked by geth and another rachni later on. I then ran into with your mother. As she was strangling me, she realised I wasn't completely human so she sent me up to Saren. I woke up in Sovereign,"

"Huh, so that's why we never found a body. I see you got free from Saren though," Liara pondered, voice tight at the mention of her mother. Did she still care about her? She paused to throw a singularity into a large group of guards.

"Yup, although I don't want to visit Virmire again. Or be on the wrong side of an angry krogan," I sighed. I saw Liara's confused expression as she moved into the room, ducking behind some crates after I tossed an Incinerate. "I managed to flee from Saren on Virmire, I was helped out by some krogan, one of which is my XO. With the help of some captured STG salarians, now members of my team, we managed to get off planet and on track to the Citadel. We got a report a while later saying the facility had been destroyed,"

"Yes... Kaiden was truly brave," Liara answered sadly. I frowned at her, popping my head over the cover to draw some fire while she warmed up a Warp. I ducked.

"What do you mean?" I asked, finally switching to the Locust when I ran out of Carnifex bullets. "I need ammo soon," I added.

"Here," Liara tossed over some heat sinks, clanking at my feet. "Kaiden died on Virmire. To destroy Saren's facility we had to use a nuke, it was the only explosive the STG had that could guarantee the end to it. Kaiden remained behind to keep it safe until..."

"Christ... I know I wasn't close to the guy but... kudos when due," I answered slowly, unable to think of a good way to answer this bomb shell- ah shit, best not say that aloud. I winced at my own mental words. I snapped awake when a bullet slammed into my shoulder. This time breaking through the armour. I yelled and swore for a good 2 minutes, hurling promises of painful deaths to the bastard who shot me. Dammit, I hated getting shot!

"So you left Virmire," Liara hinted, clearly eager to escape this topic. I grabbed the topic by the horns.

"Ah, yeah. Then I went back to the Citadel, where I ran into the most insane person I have ever met in my life. Seriously, she stole my Locust and then took me clubbing a few hours later! ...After breaking into someone's house, stealing some clothes, beating up a paedophile and rapist and drinking one of the most vile of drinks in the known galaxy of course. And then of course the geth attacked. That was fun, especially when you are taking an allergic reaction to Hanar venom. Christ, whose brilliant idea was that!" I moaned, my stomach wailing at the very thought of a third round of that drink.

"She sounds... very eccentric?" Liara asked more than stated.

"You have no idea! We did find the Mako in the Presidium, but we had geth to worry about. Were you up in the tower?"

"No, I was on the _Normandy_. Ashley and Garrus were with Shepard in the tower," Liara sighed softly. "And then Saren's dead corpse rose to life and ripped Ashley's rib cage out, complete with organs," I gaped.

"Ashley is dead too?" I asked slowly. "Liara nodded sadly. I couldn't prevent the words escaping my mouth. "Well thank fuck the cow is dead!"

"Endellion Shaik!" Liara snapped over my Locust bursts.

"What? You know I hated her!" I grumbled, a puppy being yanked back in place. I winced when my cover was shot at again.

"That's still no excuse! Some people liked her!" Liara scolded.

"She was a xenophobic bitch! She was never nice to me! She stole my conditioner as well! Do you know how hard it is to find good conditioner that keeps these damn curls tamed?" I exclaimed, horrified she was defending this woman. Liara scowled intensely, her disapproval clear in her Throw and Warp combo. Yeah... probably shouldn't annoy the biotic asari. I cleared my throat. "A-Anyway! I stayed with my new 'friend' for a few weeks and then I had to help out some quarians. That wasn't long after Shepard had been KIA,"

"That was a dark day..." Liara mumbled.

"Again, another asshole gone from the galaxy," I grumbled to myself.

"I'm not even going to say anything," Liara shook her head heavily.

"You saw what he was like with me. I know you liked him and all, but you can do so much better than him. He was an egoistic dick who hated people talking back to him! And cowards as well," I frowned as I lined up another shot, carefully pushing forward. "Anyway, where was I? Oh... yeah. _That_,"

"That?" Liara echoed, sliding against a wall as she inched towards a new door.

"Yeah... remember that Reaper inside of me that I mentioned?" I asked. Liara nodded slowly. "Yeah, she managed to gain some control. Ended up outright slaughtering Arnold Keplar before I managed to rein her in,"

"So it _was_ you?" Liara stared. I glared. This was a sore topic.

"No. It was Nyryntha, not me! We are completely separate things!" I snapped. Liara stared at me from across the room. "Nyryntha is a murderous machine that only cares about 'continuing the cycle'. I want to save as many people as I can. That is why I am here. I am here to find scientists to study me, to study other Saboteurs like Saria T'Spia and find a way to stop us! To free us! To send those Reapers packing! To stop people falling to indoctrination. To keep my friends safe." I finished quietly. "I will hurl myself into the nearest star if that is what it takes to keep those around me from falling into Reaper hands. That I promise," My tone was fierce upon those final words. More towards Nyryntha than anything else.

Liara was quiet. The young asari was regarding me with a scientist eye, critical of every small movement. From my kick to a dead turian's head to scanning the upper walkways. I had forgotten how much Liara saw, how much she retained. She was such a little information bug. I sighed as I scavenged for any more heat sinks. I did not want to run out of ammo here. I wasn't resorting to the incendiary rounds! I finally joined Liara at the door, leading into a large, empty room. I growled unhappily, snapping my fingers. Mar bounded into view.

"You have changed," Liara concluded. I blinked up at her. "Perhaps more than you know," I flushed slightly.

"Not really," I shrugged, trying to shake the rising blood away. "I've just... come out of my shell?" I offered. Liara chuckled softly as she slipped over the threshold into the room. "Also, before we do anything, this is tingling my video game senses. This is a trap if I ever saw one,"

"We have no choice, Dell," Liara was slow as she moved into the room. The lights were only partially on, a few weak lights in the roof staining the room in a dark and dim orange.

"Mar, get the lights," I nodded my head to the drone. He beeped happily, flying away to a panel on the wall. I moved up to Liara's side. The lights flared to life.

I was greeted by the sight of at least 50 guns, surrounding us. I popped my jaw slightly.

"Well... fuck," my voice bounced around the silent room. Liara spun around as the ring of guards enclosed us. "Well, that explains the lack of crates in this room. Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Or is it evening now?" Nice and calm, Dell. Don't let these guys spook you!

"Quiet, Shaik," a voice rang. I raised an eyebrow as a salarian approached, the white armour with the red mark on the chest clearly showing where his loyalties lay. He actually looked... fairly buff for a salarian. "We don't need you alive for you to be useful," I managed to retain my quiver.

"Oh, great. Thanks. That makes me feel so much better," I answered sarcastically, taking a page out of Indira's book.

"I am so relieved that it did," the salarian responded, just as dryly. "After you are dissected, however, you may feel a little different, Saboteur,"

"Y'know, I'm really beginning to loathe that word acting as a name. Makes me feel icky. Also, how the fuck do you know what I am?" I glared, reloaded the Carnifex. The guns around us clicked in response. I froze. Hmm, yeah, better not do anything _too_ stupid. The salarian snorted at me before turning to Liara.

"Ah, Miss T'Soni, the Shadow Broker sends his regards," the salarian continued, ignoring me as he walked around the rim of the wheel of guns. I had to keep my eyes on the 30 or so shotguns, assault rifles and pistols that were aiming at my head. Nice and slow, deep breaths. Don't panic... fuck it. Panic! I felt Liara quiver behind me.

"Where's Faron?" Liara demanded, raising her pistol towards the salarian. My fear only spiked when I heard the guns click as they were raised to eye level. I shuffled slowly backwards until I bumped into her side.

"A little bit hasty there, Liara," I hinted quietly. I could see out the corner of my eye Liara beginning to lose her composure. I suppose she hadn't completely solidified yet. Again, too much like myself, I cringed. Liara spared me a look, glancing at her pistol before cautiously lowering it.

"Well, at least one of you is showing a little bit of sense for once," the salarian snorted. "A little," he stressed. I gave a weak and sarcastic 'heh' in his direction, throwing a disgusted look in a batarian's direction. His shoulders hackled. You know, Nyryntha, this was a brilliant time to 'sweat' that indoctrination... Um, Nyryntha? You there? C'mon! You did it when I was helping Shayan get his data back from the Blue Suns! Goddam it, stupid, useless, brainless Reaper!

"Fuck!" I swore loudly as pain rattled through me, the pistol flying out of my hand. The entire room leapt a mile in the air. "Goddam it, Nyryntha! Pack it in, you useless piece of shi- Ahhh!" I clutched my head as my knees caved and I collapsed on the ground, spots flashing before my eyes. The pain was unbelievable, lightning and lava wrecking every nerve and blood vessel. My entire body twitched as if electrocuted, I was unable to control anything! In the few months I had learned to Nyryntha's existence, this was first sanity destroying pain she had pressed on me. I couldn't think beyond how much pain I was in. I heard a robotic crackle in my ears.

_"I am not your toy to wield as you please, Shell,"_ The monotone, vaguely female voice sounded in my head. _"Now, cease your resistance and-"_

"Oh, fuck off already! Not while I still draw breath!" I hissed, gasping for air. Breathe, Dell, you have to breathe! The room was beginning to spin. I heard her static ridden growl of displeasure before she released me from my cocoon of pain. I shuddered as a useless heap on the floor, gulping air down as I tried to find the strength to move my limbs. She needed me alive and my body in a functioning state, she couldn't push me too far. Torture me too much and I would be completely useless to her. That was my sole saving grace.

"Dell?" Liara's voice broke through the sound of my pounding heart and gushing blood. I struggled to tear my hands from my head.

"I-I'm ok. I'm fine. Bloody Reaper," I managed a strained laugh. "S-She doesn't like me all that much," I gasped as I heaved myself into a sitting position, swallowing air as I waited for my muscles to stop twitching. The room was spinning and my upper body was swaying wildly. I held my head as the headache rocked every sane thought. I managed to look up at the salarian, putting on as fake a face of bravery as I could. I knew I probably wouldn't make it out of this in one piece, if at all. 51 against 2? I couldn't walk, my gun arm felt like a lead weight and I doubted I was even staring at the salarian anymore. I wasn't even sure where my Carnifex was.

Gunfire deafened me.

I yelled out in surprise, flinging myself back on the ground as the ring of aliens around me shouted in surprise, dropping like flies. I hated surprises! Liara and the salarian ducked, confused and demanding for answers. I held none. I covered my head, my body shaking violently from pain and fear as the echoes of guns shattered my eardrums. For the longest minute, I was a helpless, sitting duck in the middle of a climax of noise and fear. I was a child cowering in no-man's land.

Then the gunfire eased, the silence heavy in the large, empty room. I was careful as I gingerly unfurled my arms from over my head. I peered around me. My pain was forgotten for a time, my body rocketing into a straight sitting position. The Shadow Broker's goons were no more, all useless piles on the floor around us. On the upper walkway, surrounding us entirely, was a mess of mismatched armours, a variety of guns and wide, grinning faces. My eyes fell on Val, his Tempest SMG secured in his hand. He raised a brow plate as his grin widened.

"And this, Captain, is why we put a tracker in your armour," he called down. Liara stared to me, taking in the scene around her. Relief burst through me, I was so happy I could cry- Wait... they had put a tracker on me? The bastards! I struggled to find my feet however my knees were refusing to hold weight. Dammit, that Reaper was toast as soon as I found out how she worked. I gave up trying to stand, content on my knees.

"You've got a tracker on me!?" I exclaimed venomously. My voice sounded tired and drained, even to me. Liara was still gaping at me. I managed a smile at her. "Relax, it's my crew. Here to save my worthless ass," I glared up at Val. The turian grinned smugly.

"Mat'al's idea," Val responded, chuckling. It was a warning. Something grabbed my arm, hauling me to my feet. I jumped, eyes flung upwards to stare at silver speckled navy eyes.

Ah shit...

"Under normal circumstances," Mat'al began, voice strangely neutral for the usually so stressed salarian. "I would have shot your knees out. However, I think you've learned your lesson now, hmm?" I smiled warily. His tone was very dry and his eyes seem to be struggling to keep neutral.

"J-Just like that crash course training on Feros then," I offered. Mat'al hmmed in agreement.

"Indeed," he dropped, me, leaving me to stagger about drunkenly while my knees tried to hold my weight.

Liara caught me as I stumbled into her, helping me stay on my feet. My knees were just not working for me. The salarian flicked a hand, signalling the entrance of two krogan, Shual and Verv. Shual, the teal crested krogan, was hands down the most terrifying krogan I had ever come across. My saving grace was that he respected authority. Which was just as well since I have had to pull him off a salarian or turian every now and then. He was hyper friendly to me, however, which was disturbing. Verv, the royal blue krogan, was tamer than his counter-part, but was still a bull in a china shop. The pair snatched up the Shadow Broker's salarian goon. It took me a moment to realise his knees had been shot out. I suppose that was why he failed to run in the confusion.

"Whacha want done with him, Captain?" Verv called over, grinning at the salarian. Mat'al casually checked over his Mantis sniper rifle, deliberately standing by my shoulder like a hawk. I swallowed nervously. Mat'al was pissed, I could feel the rage like sun on my skin, but had enough self-control to explode at me in private.

"Liara? You want this guy?" I asked. Liara slid me a slow look, delegating with herself. A swift glance to the now panicking salarian and a smile grew on her face.

"I could... borrow him for a while. Then you are free to do as you wish with him," Liara holstered her pistol, finally at ease.

"Awesome. Shual, Verv, make sure my good friend here gets her answers. You can kill him when she's had enough," the krogans' eyes danced, Shual punched his fists together, grinning wildly.

"And this, Captain, is why we follow you and not that skinny bastard behind you," Shual laughed. Mat'al gave him an exacerbated look as he leaned the rifle against his shoulder. I flushed softly as I cleared my throat. I didn't need Mat'al to get even angrier with me!

"Thanks, Shual. Now, if you excuse me," I glanced to Mat'al warily. "I believe I have some catching up to do with my commander here. Can you give Liara the details on where the _Starquake_ is, Shual?" the krogan grinned.

"Sure, Captain. No problem at all," he turned his gaze to the salarian, now quaking.

I would have felt sorry for him had he not pulled a gun on us and told me how worthless my life was.


	4. Chapter 4

"I told you! I _nagged_ at you for two hours yesterday about what could happen!" Mat'al bellowed, paced before me. The stress of the past month and the worry of the past few hours had finally snapping the normally chilled salarian. I sat on the sofa in my quarters, pacified, while the salarian vented his frustrations out on me. I hadn't felt this ashamed since my mother yelled at me for failing that accounting module. The hours I had put into that damned subject was borderline insanity. "I told you not to sign anything, I told you not to wander off, I told you a thousand different things! Why don't you listen to me anymore?" he demanded, whirling to face me. I crewed my cheek warily. Blessedly, he had left his guns in his room. His fists would still hurt though...

"I didn't-" I spied a vein throbbing in his temple. Ok, bad start. "Mat'al. Do you... do you remember Feros?" The salarian snorted, taken aback by the question. Oh yes, this salarian was most definitely out of his usual behaviour.

"Of course I remember Feros. Why?" he sighed, pacing once more.

"Did I learn anything simply by you telling me to?" I asked, trying to keep my voice calm. Internally, I was quaking in terror. I had no idea how to handle this new, more stressed Mat'al Delern. Mat'al spun to face me, a finger pointed in my direction and his mouth open. I sucked my breath in.

Nothing escaped his lips.

I was slow to ease the air back out of my lungs. Mat'al was smouldering before me, trying to find at least one example of when I actually followed through on his words without 'encouragement'. With reluctance, he lowered his hand to his side, regarding me with infuriation. He made an aggravated sound as he tore up my carpet with his pacing once more. I was careful with my words as I slowly stood.

"Mat'al, sorry does not even begin to cover what I did," I began. Mat'al paused long enough to glare at me. A confirmation of my words. "But you must understand, this world... this galaxy is all still so new to me. I haven't even been here a year yet. Of course I'm going to be oblivious to the dangers, of course I'm going to be awed by the sights. That's why I need people like you watching my back, guiding me. How can you do that if you keep yourself locked up in a lab for hours upon end? When was the last time we had a proper talk since we left the STG base? I've only got Raisha and Val to back me up with this sort of thing. Shayan is too skittish and Indira is... Indira. I need you here, not in the lab,"

"Dell, until those computer banks are up and running, there isn't a damn thing we can do. All of the STG protocols are on those hunks of metal down there and if we want to even stand a chance of finding out what is inside you, we need those protocols!" Mat'al snapped, although perhaps my words had stolen some of the heat from his voice.

"And I appreciate everything you have done and are doing. But I need you more than you think in these early days. For God's sake, I don't even want to be captain! You threw me into this role!" I pressed. Mat'al ceased pacing, staring down at me with regarding eyes. I would not falter under his gaze. I stared up, pleading. I needed Mat'al back to his old, cool, calm self. I needed my mentor back, more than ever. Mat'al was silent, turning my words over, hopefully putting a lid on his frayed mood. He finally released a breath through his nose.

"Once the computers are up and running, I'll stop," he rubbed his eyes, breathing slowly. I allowed tension to ease out of my shoulders, finally able to relax for a moment.

"Good. I need you in the CIC once everything is sorted. Are we clear, commander?" Mat'al spared me a cold look before sighing.

"Aye, aye," he submitted. "If you'll excuse me, I have machines to tend to,"

"Dismissed. Oh and Mat'al?" I called as the salarian. "Don't work too hard," The salarian scowled softly. I smiled as he left my quarters, leaving me in the peace of my room.

I was left in silence for a while, quietly contemplating my near miss in my first mission as captain. If Liara hadn't been there... I scrubbed my face with my hands. I was such a fool. I flopped back to sprawl on the sofa, half-hugging a cushion. I wasn't having the best start, not by anyone's guess. I was going to get myself killed before I was able to do any good, if anything could be done. I sighed, burying my face in the cushion. I had to get my act together. Liara had been right earlier, I was too brash. I had a crew depending on me now... I closed my eyes, trying to forget about the responsibility upon my shoulders. I didn't want to think about that... or the lives...

What was I going to do?

The excitement had worn me. That was before including Nyryntha's involvement. I was mentally dead, drained of even simple comprehension. I remembered staring at the clock, blinking slowly as if drugged. Every time I lifted my eyes, the time had changed by an hour or so. Eventually, I must have managed to doze since I was rocked by nightmares. Failures, deaths, stupidity, betrayal, indoctrination. I watched my entire crew die at least three times and those close to me at least seven. Alarms pounding in my ears, fires raged before my eyes, empty space all around me. I was shuddering, I couldn't breathe. I needed to stop the Reapers, I needed to protect my friends. I needed to-

A robotic squeal sent my eyes flaring open. I panted, staring at the ceiling. I think I must have murmured Mar, since the drone swung into view, beeping quietly. I swallowed, my throat dry.

"W-What time is it?" I asked slowly. The dial flashed before me. I stared, groggy. "10:13 what?" I clarified. The small blinking 'AM' in the corner enlarged. "Ah fuck," I glanced to my alarm, silent. Had it gone off? It could have explained some of the alarms in my nightmares. I struggled to sit up, although my legs refused to respond beyond a twitch here and there. I did manage to sit up. Hang on... how did I get on my bed? "Mar, go get someone, Val, Mat'al, Raisha, anyone," the drone beeped happily before soaring out the door.

I rubbed my face as I let the past few minutes, or hours as it actually was, sink in. My first mission near-miss along with Mat'al's scolding and Nyryntha's mind torture were not good combinations for a good night's sleep. Despite sleeping for nearly 14 hours, I felt drained, beaten. I held my head in my hands.

"Dell?" a voice stirred me. I blinked wildly, lifting my head out of my hands. I stared in surprise by the presence of Saere Loras, the mucky bronze female turian that had tended to me during the Geth attack on the Citadel. Her orange markings glared off her skin. "It is a relief to see you awake," I narrowed my eyes slightly, confused.

"What do you mean?" I asked slowly. Saere approached, carefully seating herself on the edge of the bed. She gently brushed the heel of her hand over my forehead.

"You've warmed up, thankfully," Saere smiled. "I was coming up to check on you when I saw Marshal fly past. I assumed you had woken up," I groggily pieced her words together, trying to figure out what was going on.

"I've been out for more than a night, haven't I?" I asked reluctantly. Saere nodded gravely.

"Nearly two days now," She answered. I breathed heavily through my nose. "From what Valérien told me, I can only assume that the Reaper had caused some severe damage, I've never seen such high levels of myosatellite cells in human blood before. My best estimate would be that your body had shut down to heal the trauma caused by the Reaper. It was... remarkable. Your bullet wounds healed within a few hours and then... Well, I'll spare you the details but the crew was getting a little worried. They'll be relieved to know you are awake," I gave the doctor a slight smile.

"I didn't mean to cause worry," I began. I slowly swung my still somewhat numb legs over the side of the bed. It might take me an hour or so to get walking again. Thankfully, Saere was one of the few people I knew who won't tell a soul of my soon to be face plants to the floor.

"Ah... Captain?" I glanced up to the door at the voice, seeing Shayan poke his head around the door frame. Mar hovered by his shoulder. "May I come in?"

"Of course, of course!" I smiled. I could wait a little longer before trying to walk, might give my legs a chance to strengthen. Shayan smiled before shuffling in, Mar bolting to my side like a clingy boyfriend. "Everything alright?"

"Ah, yes," Shayan coughed slightly. "I-I have the reports for the engines, if you want it," That squared my shoulders a little.

"Definitely. Walk me through it," I smiled as the quarian relaxed and parked his rear-end on a chair.

"Captain, there is an asari named Liara T'Soni by the airlock," a salarian summoned. I blinked out of my daze, datapad in hand as the noise of the CIC finally reached me. I glanced up to the salarian, my mind too muddled to remember a name. White skinned, green eyes, albino salarian... oh!

"Thank you, Sherin. I'll see to it," I slipped the datapad into my large pockets on my legs, finally tearing myself away from the engine reports. It had been about two days since I was up and about and nearly 5 days since we docked, stuck due to the severe engine overhaul the engineers requested. I wasn't about to stop them. We needed those things running smoothly. I used the stairs to reach the airlock, leaving the noise of the CIC behind. The silvery grey corridors really needed some colour or I was going to go insane. I popped open the airlock once I reached it. Liara turned to face me, patiently waiting by the banister staring over the vast array of ships docked here. She smiled when she caught sight of me.

"Dell, it is good to see you again. Apologies for the lack of contact the past few days. The... information I obtained from the Shadow Broker's guards was too valuable to ignore," Liara began. I held a hand up, smiling tiredly.

"Liara, its fine. Probably just as well you didn't come. The _Starquake_ has been a mess the past few days," I soothed.

"Indeed, I had heard you had been out of action for a few days as well. I suppose living with a Reaper is hardly the easiest problem to deal with," Liara smiled sympathetically. I smiled bravely.

"It's the first time she's properly knocked me out like that. I hope it doesn't become too commonplace," I shrugged, trying to hide the shudder running down my spine.

"Then I would highly recommend that you do not annoy this Reaper, at least until you can understand how it works. You are leaving today, I believe," Liara added. I nodded, making a soft sound of agreement in my throat while I turned her words in my head. Dammit, she made too much sense.

"Yeah, all the repairs are done and we need to get moving. We're almost out of money," I sighed. "I hope the bloody STG finally pay up," Liara furrowed her brow slightly. "Long story. Anyway, want a tour?" I pointed my thumb over my shoulder to the _Starquake_. Liara managed a strained laugh.

"Another time, perhaps. I'm afraid I cannot stay long. I have business I need to attend to soon, meetings and such like. I came to see how you were doing and to see if I could acquire some new contact details. I doubt your _Normandy_ mail address works,"

"No, no. It was deleted after the um... Keplar issue," I coughed. I brought up my omni-tool, flicking through the menus. "But here, don't be a stranger now," Liara laughed gently.

"Indeed. The same goes for you as well, Dell. Where are you heading to next on your wild adventures?" she asked curiously.

"The Citadel. I need to try and get as close to Sovereign as I can. I need to learn about indoctrination, maybe any ties with the Saboteurs if I can pin down Saria T'Spia. Fucking Saboteur," I cursed softly. Liara frowned.

"That... may be difficult," she began slowly. It was my turn to frown, "Firstly, Saria T'Spia is a very prominent figure in C-Sec. She will be heading to top ranks in a few months or so at her rate. I doubt you could simply 'pin her down' and expect answers. More likely she will have indoctrinated officers by her side. You may find yourself being the one pinned and questioned," I stared blankly. That wasn't... what I wanted to hear. She was the only other Saboteur I knew other than myself. I didn't have anything else to go on! Liara continued onwards.

"And regarding the remnants of Sovereign, they are under intense guard. Not just anyone can get access to them. I also doubt the Council would forget your name, so you may have an even more challenging time getting permission. Especially with Saria in hand. Although, she may lay a trap for you. I would not recommend going the Citadel, Dell, not if you can avoid it," I chewed on my lip as I took her words in. "I will keep an ear out for any information that may be useful to you. Reapers, Saboteurs, Indoctrination... I have a few reports that you may or may not already have if you are interested."

"Anything at this point would be a God-sent, Liara. Thank you," I finished. Liara smiled warmly.

"Anything for a friend. Please be careful, Dell. After Shepard's death... I do not wish to lose anyone else," she sighed. I hugged the taller asari, trying to comfort her. Shepard had been an asshole, but Liara had been quite taken by him. I just wish she would be able to move on swiftly.

"I'll be careful. I have to," I snorted a laugh. "I have a crew of just under 50 to look after," Liara grinned.

"And all will be looking to you for help and guidance while you try to make it look like you know what you are doing," Liara added. I groaned.

"Pretty much," I grumbled. "Take care, Liara. I'll be in contact soon," the asari nodded just as her omni-tool flared on her arm. An incoming call. We shared a knowing look as I watched her walk away, finger pressing into her ear. I slunk back into the _Starquake_, awaiting take-off.

About four hours, and a mass relay jump, later, I was settling back into my quarters. Back to the gentle hum, now sounding much healthier than they had a week ago. I was looking over the engine reports for the hundredth time, glancing over the papers that Liara had mailed me as well. I tapped my finger, clunking my tongue carefully. I glanced at the screen before me, awaiting the important call. If they did not call within the next 10 minutes, I was going to call them! Damn, I hated dealing with the bloody STG. Why were they being so stingy? First they gave us a poorly maintained ship, then they refused to give us the money we needed to survive. What were they going to do next? Make me dance like a goddam monkey-

I jumped when the screen flashed, a blinking icon and gentle dinging sound indicating this was the call I was waiting for. I pulled myself straight, crossing my arms and a leg, checking my composure before hitting the answer button. The mucky scarlet salarian stared coolly at me, large amber eyes nearly emotionless. I took a silent breath to calm myself as I relaxed against the chair behind me. I couldn't screw this up!

"Captain Rolidin, good afternoon," I greeted.

"Captain Shaik," he answered simply. I measured my breathing carefully.

"The scientists have been picked up from Illium and we are now on course for Ilos," I explained curtly. "Will the funding be much longer? We will need it to refuel," the salarian cocked a brow. My hope sank.

"Captain Shaik, your server banks are still not operational and you are asking for money?" he questioned. My shoulders rattled.

"You said nothing about our servers having to be operational, captain. You informed me the STG would pay up when we picked up the new scientists. The new scientists have joined us," I managed to answer calmly, although my voice was catching on some words. The salarian shrugged.

"I have my orders and you have yours. See to them," was his response.

"Wait a min-" I started. I gaped as I stared at a blank screen. The bastard hung up on me! That absolute asshat! I screamed as loud as my lungs could muster, frustration and stress climaxing. Those bastards! I was going to wring every single salarian who said the STG did a good job. I swear...

I flung myself to my feet, storming out of my quarters. My mood was soiled, my blood boiling and I needed to strangle someone. I slammed a fist down on the elevator button, pacing restlessly before the door. Why where they so desperate to hang onto their money? I thought Mat'al had sorted everything! Once the elevator arrived, the whole thing quaked as I paced around, waiting for it to cough me out on my floor. The engineers had sped it up, I accepted grumpily. The pacing had finally eased by the time I landed in the CIC. Raisha was within the Command Ring, or CR as I was calling it now. The honey-crested krogan raised a brow at my thunderous expression.

"I take it the conversation with the STG went well then," Raisha stated calmly. I ran my tongue over my teeth in agitation.

"I want to strangle a salarian," I hissed. Several of the salarian crew members glanced at me warily. My temper was becoming more than a little infamous. "They are still refusing to send us the money! Now they want to wait until the servers are up!" I began pacing once more. Anthon cleared his throat. The dark green salarian had a backbone, I'd give him that. He was one of only two salarians who were willing to tell me what they thought despite my mood. Mat'al was the other without saying.

"The science team has done an isolated test run of the server systems," he flicked his fingers over his datapad. "Everything seems to be alright. A few bugs in the system to work out, though,"

"That would be the same with any damn computer though." I grumbled as I glanced over the report. "Do they know what's in these programs?"

"There are a few they aren't too sure about, but they are intelligent. They'll figure it out," Anthon shrugged. I growled softly.

"Dammit, everything is on time! They know that! Why is the STG being so crab-arse tight about this?"

"They are looking after their own interests, Endellion," Raisha responded, eyes locked onto an orange hologram. "We are an expensive and risky investment," I ignored her words as I paced.

"Seriously, you'd think they'd want us to fail at this rate-" I froze mid-step. The halt of my anger grabbed the attention of all in the room. I vented my rage to its fullest. Stopping was... worrying. The silence was heavy. My brain had frozen, small snippets of information crawling through my head like insects. I slowly raised the datapad to my hand, re-reading the computer report. I was careful, swallowing with difficulty, as I opened the engine report, glancing through the details with a fine-toothed comb. Dread, fear, realisation. All hammered me at the same time. Shit! I dropped the datapad, springing towards the CR. I slammed my hand on the intercom as Raisha moved away from the computer banks, swiftly slipping out of my path. Her brow furrowed.

"Science team, drop whatever you are doing. Right. Now!" I snapped. They were just next door, I realise, but this was quicker than trying to yell over a dozen voices and sounds. "I don't care if you are screwing something in, lifting something or whatever, drop _everything_! I want those servers _off_ my ship and into the nearest sun, ASAP! That's an _order_!" I added with finality. I turned to the crew around me. "Get me the fucking STG on the line!" not a breath was heard in the room. "Now!" I thundered. The CIC erupted into a clamour of activity as people scrambled, some to look busy, some to get the STG on the large, holographic screen. My whole body was quaking, fists trembling at my sides. I heard the doors behind me open, I kept my eyes towards the cockpit.

"What the fuck, Endellion?" I heard Mat'al snap. I spared him a glance. "I've spent weeks on these things. Absolute weeks. And you want to throw them out the airlock? Have you gone completely insane?!" he demanded. I stared at him passively, watching the salarian rattle and fume, growing more agitated with each passing heartbeat.

_"STG on the line now, Captain,"_ Lanster's voice informed me, sounding almost nervous. I turned from Mat'al to the holographic screen appearing on the bow upper floor screens.

"Oh no you don't! I want answers-" Mat'al began.

"Captain Shaik. So soon?" the red salarian raised a brow.

"Do you think I'm an idiot?" I asked quietly. "Did you honestly think I wouldn't figure it out in time? Do I look that retarded?" my voice finally rose to full thunder.

"Do not speak to me so, Shaik! I am Captain-" Rolidin began, rage beginning in his eyes. I laughed harshly.

"Are you? Or are you like Xanthe?" I demanded. Rolidin paused. "Commando, I assume, I don't know what other classes you bastards have. You ain't getting your goddam servers up and running. They are going in the goddam sun-bin!" I roared.

"Dell!" Mat'al snapped. "My apologies, Rolidin, she isn't usually this-" Mat'al stopped, staring, while the salarian captain slowly broke into laughter. I held my nerve, eyes narrowing. The entire room around me was silent.

"Ah, Advocacy. You surprise us yet again," the salarian smiled. I snarled at the word. "But not quite well enough," he began typing at his computer, eyes smug and yet so... dead. "The engine issues you have been having? I am afraid you have not seen the worst of it yet," he intertwined his fingers under his chin. I kept my eyes on the salarian on the screen. "I wonder how you will fare when all your engines malfunction far from any help." I snarled, rage turning my vision red. All was silent around us. The salarian looked confused now.

"Oh, so _that's_ what those little boxes were," Shayan laughed. I whirled to face him. He flushed under my incredulous gaze. "Oh, w-we found these little black boxes while taking apart the number two engine. I-it was odd so we checked the other engines and found them there too. Since they didn't seem to be doing anything weren't we... removed them," he shrugged, "T-To save weight you see. We threw them into the incinerator on Illium," Joy, absolute joy, burst through me.

"Shayan, I could kiss you right now," I beamed. Shayan blushed violently. I spun on my heel to face the salarian saboteur. "Well then, Saboteur. Looks like your little plan failed," the salarian's expression was dead.

"You are most... resourceful, Advocacy," he began. "Perhaps keeping the engines functioning appropriately would have fared better... we had hoped to re-create..."

"What the hell are you mumbling about?" I demanded.

"Very well, Advocacy Shell. You have won this battle. Nyryntha, you have until our arrival to bring this Shell to heel," Rolidin informed. The screen died, a blank hologram hovering before us.

I stared at it for a time, letting the sense of dread slowly seep out of my body. Nyryntha roared in my head, a robotic screech of utter contempt. That was all I recalled before I found myself on the floor, Mat'al and Raisha's hands on my spasming body.


	5. Chapter 5

"I will not lie to you, Endellion. This will certainly be a very difficult situation to wriggle free from," Raisha's voice rang solemnly. I was only half-hearted as I listened to the krogan's quiet speech. I glanced up from the table before me. Dell was seated in the middle of one of the longer lengths of the table in the war room, her back to the massacre of computer hardware contained in the labs. The CIC was to my back. Our dear captain, who had apparently thwarted a Saboteur threat I had failed to comprehend, stared motionless at a datapad lying on the amber wood table. Her body took moments of violent shakes. Saere had assured us it would wear off once she slept. I hoped the doctor knew what she was talking about.

Valérien was perched upon a crate in the corner, eyes on the bustle of the lab as they hauled the machines into the elevator to shift to the cargo bay. We hovered near a sun, its brilliant rays dulled by sun-reactive glass. But to think Val was not paying attention would be foolhardy and idiotic. The turian clicked his mandibles perfectly to each topic raised by the XO. On top of which, his positioning was perfect to spring forward should any threat appear before Dell had recovered. Shayan was quiet, eyes on Dell, leaning against the part-glass walls of the war room. He seemed disquieted by the news laid before him, dampening any pride he felt by averting whatever disaster that had lurked in the engines. Indira was still, for once, sitting on the table itself as she listened to the news. Already, the gears in her head were spinning.

As for myself, I was still stung about my blind trust. I snorted lightly. The great Mat'al Delern, fooled by a man I had known for over 10 years. How long at the Saboteurs been in place? I glanced to Dell as her eyes rose to mine. Dell was not even a year old, Saboteur-wise. She soon would be in four months' time. Why had she only awoken now? Why had she been held back for so long?

"I don't know, Mat'al," Dell answered quietly. I jumped, startled. It took a moment to realise I had voiced those questions aloud. I ran a hand down my face, pinching the wide bridge of my nose. I was losing it. "I wish I knew though," she paused quietly as another shaking spell ran through her. "It wasn't your fault, Mat'al. What could you have done? How would you have known?" I leaned back against the wall, eyes reluctantly finding hers once more.

"You had warned me that the Saboteurs had penetrated nearly every organisation in the galaxy. I should have been suspicious with the STG, It was such an obvious target-" I began.

"No, Mat'al. I said I _think_ there is a good _chance_ that they have penetrated every organisation in the galaxy," she sighed heavily. "I can't answer your questions on them. Where we came from, where they are located, how many of us there are, who are the Saboteurs' faces…I wish I knew but I don't. Hell," she tore her gaze away, finding a label on her crate suddenly fascinating. "I'm beginning to think there are other Saboteurs out there without the markings on the eyes,"

"Then how would we know?" Val asked quiescently. Dell was silent for a time.

"Maybe the Reapers can pick up each other's signals, like a radio," she sighed, sounding frustrated. "Maybe that was how they knew I was a Saboteur. I never met the captain in person,"

"It is plausible," I surrendered. "We just need to find answers quickly," Dell laughed harshly, although the sting I felt faded when her eyes glistened. She was on the brink of tears.

"How? How can we do that? We don't have powerful computers to crunch our numbers, we don't even have any numbers to crunch and we have nowhere to start since the Citadel is a no go. Dammit, Mat'al, I'm not going to be able to put food on the table within the next three weeks! We cannot afford to do anything. Hell, half the engines are shut down and the other half are on idle just to keep the generators powered to conserve fuel!" She slumped against the glass at her back. "What do we do?" she mumbled, defeated.

"Well, we aren't going to be given money, let's make money!" Indira beamed. I believe Endellion and I shared the same look of annoyed confusion as we stared at the drell.

"Care to explain how, Indira?" Dell groaned heavily, too defeated to snap at her bouncy commander. Indira perked, grinning widely.

"We could rob a bank! That would get us money," Indira burst out, bouncing. I heard Dell sigh heavily. "Or, or could hire ourselves out as mercenaries! Like the Bloodpack or Blue Su-" she paused as Dell hissed violently at the mere mention of the mercenary band. "Well, you get it!" Indira bounced. "We could be bodyguards or cargo haulers or something. We've got a bit of everything!"

"And how does said merc band become one?" Dell rose an eyebrow. "This is the sort of thing that sounds like you need to pump money in to get any out. And how would we get any business? We have no reputation. How do we make ourselves appear official without proper uniforms? Indira, we simply don't have the money to kit everyone out. Even if we did, we would need to worry about spending all the money and not getting any work,"

"We have several independent mercs here already," Val offered. "The krogan, especially," Dell was silent. "Maybe your friend could help us out too, the asari,"

"Liara," Dell informed, mind lost in thought. She scrubbed a hand down her face, rocked back until her back hit the wall. "I don't know... I hear the word 'mercenary' and I just imagine kidnapping and murder,"

"The 'murder' tends to be usual despite what field you are in," I answered, shrugging quietly. "You've killed people, Dell,"

"While I was in the military," she defended.

"And otherwise," Raisha added. Dell opened her mouth to defy her XO, but she stilled, staring up at the krogan. Her expression dropped into one of hurt. "I apologise for the 'low blow' as you call it, Endellion, but we cannot afford to have you falter here," Dell was silent. Shayan shuffled slightly.

"I-If it makes you feel better, w-we managed to get the hot water system working on three engines," he offered. Dell managed a coughed laugh, taken aback by the quiet quarian's words.

"Much appreciated, Shayan. Thank you," Dell managed a smile as she carefully balanced herself on her feet again. Indira bounded to her feet and was immediately by her shoulder. "Alright, everyone is dismissed. I need to sleep on this," She rubbed her eyes. "Val, wake me up early tomorrow, if I'm not up already,"

"Define early," the turian raised a brow plate.

"6am," Dell answered. Val burst out laughing, which sent the human glaring miniature suns at the copper alien. Val coughed upon seeing her expression, quickly straightening his face.

"Y-Yes, Captain," he cleared his throat, squaring his shoulders off. Dell was silent as she slowly turned to the exit of the war room, carefully slipping her way passed the mass of people piling machinery into the elevator. We watched as she took another shaking fit, only prevented from falling to the floor by Indira snatching her shoulders before her knees dropped. She almost drunkenly strode towards the elevator. Shayan quietly excused himself as he slipped out of the room, escaping into the engineer pits.

I was left in the room with Raisha and Valérien, the only competent officers Dell choose. Don't get me wrong, Shayan was proficient engineer and was spectacularly good at his job, but I did not think he was leadership material to earn Commander status. Indira? I found Indira to be too immature for the position. Alas, Dell was captain. It was her choice. She must have had valid reasons for it. Raisha finally moved subtly.

"I was hoping the new scientists would help calm Endellion," she began. Val and I glanced at her from the corner of our eyes. "Saere informed me that Endellion's vital signs were showing severe stress. Can she handle the strain?" she asked quietly. We were silent for a time, pondering the answer.

Dell was a strong girl, but she had many issues pressing on her plate. She was a Saboteur, in a constant battle with the Reaper inside her. Now the Reaper appeared to be biting back and was not holding any punches. On top of which, instead of simply her sanity, we now had her physical well-being to take under consideration. Then she had to ensure the safety, well-being, happiness and loyalty of a 45 man crew. I prayed to the Wheel that the STG event cemented the crew's thoughts that Dell knew what she was doing, that she could protect them where I had failed. Another problem poor Dell had to worry about was protecting her crew from herself. She had mentioned that she may be able to indoctrinate those around her unwillingly. She was determined to find a way to stop that, to keep her crew and friends of their own minds.

That was our current goal.

"I think she can handle it," Val answered finally. I turned to face the turian. "If we help her out, of course,"

"What do you have in mind?" I raised a brow. "I can hardly see how we are able to help her as much as we already are,"

"Easy," Val grinned slowly. "The whole setting up of this merc band idea is going to be a logistical nightmare. I recommend that we just let Dell handle communications between this friend of hers and handle the main decisions. Let me dig around my old contacts, I'm sure I can get some weapons and ammo to pile us up somehow. Get Indira digging, maybe keep her busy with the uniforms or something. Raisha, pretty sure you can have a word with some krogan about setting up some jobs for us. The sooner we start, the easier it'll be on Dell. Mat'al, you have an infamous silver tongue, feel like haggling out some deals for us? Can't be too careful with our 'clients'. Shayan has his hands full with the ship so we'll let him slide on this one, although maybe he could be looking into upgrades,"

"My, you certainly have many of the bases covered, do you not, Valérien," Raisha smiled. "I can indeed speak with some of the krogan. Shual will be more than happy to part with some information for us," I nodded slowly in agreement.

"I can most definitely give our 'clients' a run for their money. However, I would require a good reputation before I am able to haggle any half-decent deals out of anyone," I responded carefully. We would need a powerful reputation indeed to pull us into the black... The _Starquake_ alone would cost us 'an arm and a leg' as the humans say. Val pushed himself on his feet, eyes on two salarians carrying a bundle of computer parts.

"I'm going to check on Dell. Spirits, she probably isn't even bed yet," the turian grumbled as he stalked out the room.

And here I thought that drone of hers delivered on her hand and foot.

* * *

I stared at my reflection, the mass of flame coppery hair barely tamed. I suppose I should have seen it coming. The signs had been everywhere; faulty engines, poor ship design and defence, the insistence on getting the machines up and running. I stared from a window from my cabin, watching the fifth load of computer banks soar through the emptiness of space towards the burning sun. I knew I was doing the right thing. I _knew_ I was but... no. No, we couldn't trust anything to do with Reaper tech. Nothing. It had to be incinerated in the nearest, burning pile of plasma that we could find. I glanced at the clock. I had skipped dinner for sleep and now, more than 9 hours later in the small hours of the morning, I was watching the Reaper invested computers burning. Why wasn't I satisfied?

"Dell, for spirit's sake!" that damned flanging voice sounded by the door. I remained motionless as Val thundered up the stairs. "How long have you been up?"

"Long enough to see several blocks of computer burn in this sun's corona, at the very least," I responded carefully. I heard the turian sigh as he stopped by my side, staring at the glowing sun.

"That was two hours ago, Dell," Val scolded. I made a sound in my throat. Val glanced down at me, my eyes still fixated on the floating objects. "You need to take it easy, Dell, we're all getting worried about you," I sighed softly at his words.

"I'll be fine, Val," I tried to sooth him, but perhaps my usual morning temper had become just that, usual. It had become abnormal for me to be so... calm. The turian scowled at me. "I just need to get some reasonable income to help feed these poor bastards I call a crew,"

"Dell, we can handle ourselves," Val frowned. "Listen, we're working on this whole mercenary idea, but we need you to do us a favour," I glanced up at him. "We need you to talk to Liara, see if she can't find us some work or even help us with a reputation or something. Anything would be helpful. Also, a name would be good too," I narrowed my gaze up at him, frowning.

"What are you up to, Commander Autillin?" I raised a brow. Val seemed to flush at the formalities.

"Trying to keep you happy, Captain Shaik," he answered through clenched teeth. I smiled slowly at him. He snorted. "Everything else is being arranged as we speak. I'll be sending out small teams lead by independent mercs later on. A few of them have managed to get easy work, others are still debating contracts,"

"So you would have me sit on my ass while my crew risks themselves doing jobs for me-" I began, voice beginning to thunder.

"You are going to be organising, mingling and overall doing the finer parts of the job," Val interrupted. I stared at him, slowly releasing the angry breath from my lungs. "Dell, please. For us," I stared at the turian before me, eyes sad as he studied my face. I wondered if the tired lines were already showing. I tore my gaze from those emerald eyes, back to another bank of computers shoved into the abyss. I fell forward slowly until my forehead rested against the glass.

It was beginning to take its toll on me. So little money, no income, so many people to care for, each with their own needs... I glanced at my reflection, captured by the faint lines of circuitry on my irises. They made me wince each time I noticed them. I noticed them each time I looked in a mirror. They had burned themselves into my memories. So, I was a highly dangerous Saboteur with an uncontrolled Reaper waiting for a chance to take over my body and band of aliens all of whom are very susceptible to indoctrination. Nothing to worry about, huh?

"What do I need to do?" I sighed heavily. I tried to ignore the slight drop in the turian's shoulders at my answer.

"We've put Indira in charge of naming and coming up with an overall design for the group. She'll be coming to you see you soon enough to 'discuss' them. Good luck," he grinned. I scowled up at him.

"Are you doing this on purpose?" I asked sweetly. Val laughed.

"She's your commander, you should be able to control her otherwise you wouldn't have put her in such a position," he winked. I glared at him. "Try to get some rest, Dell," and with that, he made a hasty escape out of the room. I snorted softly after him. He certainly was a character. I grumbled slightly as I shoved myself from the window, turning to the dimmed room.

"Marshal," I summoned. The drone bounded into view. "Make a schedule, call Liara T'Soni at 10:30am Nos Astra, Illium time. When is that?" I added hastily. Mar bleeped before showing a digital clock. "5pm, thanks. Ok, put Indira in for 9am. Make it a few hours long. I know that girl," I rubbed my eyes. "Also, put a meeting with all crew members with mercenary experience for 2pm onwards," The drone was silent as it computed the commands. "Alright. What else needs done?"

"Crew update meeting," a voice sounded behind me. I spun, swirling on the balls of my feet. Raisha stood sentinelling by the door. She must have heard Val speaking to me. "The majority of them do not know what has occurred and are whispering for answers," The krogan delicately climbed to stairs to reach me. "You are well?" she asked gently. I snorted softly.

"The shaking is gone, if that's what you mean. Otherwise, once everything gets sorted, sure. Until then, I have a 45 people to feed," I sighed heavily, flopping on the sofa. "Any engineering reports?"

"Still concerned about the _Starquake's_ integrity?" Raisha sounded, wandering over to the window to stare at the burning computers.

"Of course I am! We had Reaper agents crawling all over her! Who knows what else they have done," I exclaimed. Why had that thought not appeared before Raisha?

"Engineering have scoured the ship top to bottom since the STG plan was revealed. They say everything else seems normal and nothing unusual was detected. I understand your caution, however," Raisha frowned slightly. "I dread to think what those computers were for,"

"I don't know. Dammit, I just don't know!" I snapped, hurling myself to my feet. Raisha glanced over her shoulder at me as I paced before the sofa. "I feel like I'm blundering in the dark! I can't study Sovereign because C-Sec would arrest me on sight if I stepped foot on the Citadel. Even if I could, I would have no idea what to look for," I ran both hands through my hair, tousling it. "I don't know what I'm doing, Raisha..."

"We are still in the early days. These are the more trying times you will have to face for the foreseeable future," Raisha responded sagely. I responded by grumbling unhappily.

"You are assuming it doesn't all crash and burn here," I muttered quietly.

"Oh now. It appears our spiritedly captain is feeling a little gloom," Raisha smirked. I spun to face her, eyes narrowing with concern. I took a slow scan of the room. My eyes were glued to a quivering Indira, cemented in the door frame. I stared at her for a time. The drell exploded.

"Delly! I have the bestest best idea ever!" she hurled herself into the room. I scowled softly.

"Firstly, don't call me Delly. Secondly, keep your voice down, Indira, people are still sleeping-" I began.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, everyone's already up. Anyway!" she waved my words away. "I was going through the extranet, trying to think of names for our new band. So," her eyes sparkled like an active biotic aura. "I decided to look through what was famous on Earth when you were there!"

"Oh Christ, save me..." I whispered pleading.

"Yeah, yeah! So I was thinking something like Spice Band after that really famous – if so last century – band everyone knows about-"

"No," I interrupted. "We are not touching the bloody Spice Girls, do I make myself clear?"

"Aww, but I had costume ideas and everythin-" she paused upon my expression. She sulked. "Fine! How about something a little newer. It was a huge hype around the time you disappeared and gained such popularity someone bought and island and recreated the town! So, so, I was thinking we could call ourselves Friendship is magic-"

"GET OUT!" I thundered furiously. "Fucking hell, Indira, I am not letting that tripe taint this ship or its crew!" I grabbed my commander, began shoving her to the door. "Goddam it, that should never have existed!"

"Ok, ok, ok, ok, ok! H-How about something more serious! L-Like... H-Hubble! Y-Y'know, that telescope that is now in a museum on Earth!" Indira frantically tried to calm me, or convince me to cease my forced removal. I glared at her as I paused.

"Better, but it still doesn't ring very well," I grumbled.

"Ok! So what about Avatar? Caribbean after those pirate movies or-" Indira began to enter listing mode.

"Indira," I stopped her again. "Tell you what, make me a list and I'll tell you what ones are good, what are terrible and what you are to avoid at all times. Clear?" Indira nodded slightly, opened her mouth to speak. "Good! Then I'll see you later once I read through that list! E-mail it to me, darling," I answered, chirpy as I shoved her out. I groaned heavily as I secured the door. It wouldn't hold for long. "Why does this happen to me?"

"Because, Endellion," Raisha chuckled. "You are the only one who can handle her for any length of time," I glanced at the krogan, confused for a time. Her remark was a little- I jumped as Indira hacked the door and bounded back into the room, face alight like fireworks.

"Oh, oh, oh! I got like ten new names-" she began.

"Write them down, Indira," I scolded softly. The drell bounced, making an unhappy whining noise as she yanked her datapad out. I gave the honey-crested krogan a stare as she evacuated the room, chuckling softly.


	6. Chapter 6

_The Fact Sheet and Timeline have been updated for this chapter. Please see profile for the link._

* * *

I stared from the upper balcony of the CIC, staring at the faces of salarians, turian, krogan, asari, humans, drell and a hanar. All stared expectantly up at me, some with battle-hungry stares, others with whimpers of fear. I was careful as I took a deep breath, steady my nerves to speak to these people, the crew of my ship. They had to trust me, I had to trust them. I had to ensure their health and their safety. During these unsettled times, I had to know exactly what was going on and where we were going. Even if it was all an act. My commanders stood by my flanks, ever vigilant sentinels when I needed them the most. And now, time to do something I loathed. Speaking to a crowd.

"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. I apologise for the short notice of this meeting, however I am afraid the situation changes faster than I am able to plan for. Allow me to explain the whole fiasco of the past day or so. Most of you saw the video call from the STG Saboteur, the Reaper Sleeper agent. To those who worked endlessly on the computer banks to try and set them up, I understand how frustrated some of you are to watch your work ripped out and cast into a star. From the reports I have received it appears the computer banks were rigged with viruses to transmit data. I can only assume it was to either indoctrinated you all or to give the Reapers hit markers; your planets, your families. Anything to bring you down and ruin our attempt to stop them," I took a careful breath in.

"The STG will no longer be funding us, so for the time being our priority is to ensure that we have enough money to put food on the table. The commanders and I have been discussing our plans. With great regret, I am afraid that we will have to sell our services as mercenaries," a slight murmur rumbled through the crowd. "We have several independent mercs in our ranks already and they have kindly found some work for us, mostly guard or escort jobs. Commander Autillin and Commander Delern are arranging the teams for these missions as we speak. I have been assigned to one or two missions myself, so XO Raisha will be in charge during my absence. Commander Shayan'Ernal will remain on board for the majority of the missions to ensure the _Starquake_ has no more hidden surprises for us," I could almost see Shayan's shoulders drop in relief from my peripheral vision.

"Finally, I have been discussing with Commander Thermi'a," I began, frowning as several moans escaped from the crowd before me. Indira was passive, but a quick glance did reveal her lips were locked in a tight line. I gave a hard stare to the crew until they settled down. "I have been discussing with Commander Thermi'a," I restarted more firmly. "About the finer points of the mercenary band we are starting. This includes a name, uniform and reputation. There are many mercenary bands out there; Blood Pack, Blue Suns, Eclipse, Regrnar's Hounds. The list continues. So, in inspiration of my home, the band will be named Levon Roche. We are in the process of the final design for the uniforms however, we need money to do buy them. As of just now, our priorities are as followed: Food, fuel, weapons and ammunition, uniforms to keep a professional image, overhauls for the _Starquake_ including new engines and servers and finally personal amenities such as new bedding, new appliances for the kitchen, TV and other leisure activities. Until I can see just how much we can bring in, I will pay you all to the best of my ability-"

"Just tell us where to shoot, you can pay me later!" I heard Verv cry from the crowd. Utren and Shual roared in delight. I smiled at the krogans.

"Thank you boys, your enthusiasm never fails to cheer me up!" I grinned.

"I'm happy with the ship, don't worry about my pay so long as I still get my damn dextro-cupcakes!" Lanster added. I heard Anthon laugh, the salarian grinning at me with a knowing smile. I felt some tension ease off my shoulders. Saere Loras, the female turian who had hauled my quaking frame back into form during the Geth attack on the Citadel, nodded her noble head. The quarians raised their fists to join the chant that was growing. It took more strength than I thought to stop the relief dropping tears down my face. The support from a surprising number of my crew was tearing me into a molten-hearted child. I tried to ignore the neutral faces of the other half of the crew.

"Thank you," I managed, although I had to cough to clear the emotion dripping heavily through my voice. "I have... no words for how much this is appreciated,"

"Aw bless, I think we're making her cry," Ferilsa cooed, the younger female krogan covering her mouth slightly. Then the 'aw' drone began. I scowled down at the teams before me, but my heart hadn't solidified to put any sense of menace into it.

"Settle down," I commanded with a more controlled voice. With some light laughter, the rabble calmed down.

"Alright," I cleared my throat. "So to summarise; the STG are pricks and- Don't give me that look, Mat'al!" I pouted as the salarian cocked a brow in my direction, hand itching for the pistol at his hip. "Alright fine, _some_ of the STG are pricks and also indoctrinated by a Saboteur working for the Reapers. So do not trust anything that we are given that is from the STG. We have about four missions on the go and we have a few shuttles ready to head out with the teams once we arrive on site. Autillin, Delern. Go and sort the teams out. Ernal, get back in those tunnels," I grinned at him. "I need you more than ever," Shayan seemed to glow at the words, someone was finally taking pride in his work. "Raisha, Thermi'a, walk with me," I turned to the CIC. "Dismissed!" I called.

"Aye, aye, Captain!" the words thundered through the two story CIC. The crowd remained still while I strode away from the walkway and into the elevator. Already, I heard Mat'al's voice over the hum. He sounded at least a touch calmer now, I prayed. Once the elevator doors shut, however, I nearly collapsed against the wall.

"I hate speaking to so many people at once," I murmured, swallowing. "If I didn't have so many crew members loyal to me..."

"You are doing fine, Endellion," Raisha soothed. "You'll grow into the position,"

"And how long before I fuck up and someone gets killed?" I retorted.

"To avoid death, you would need the power of a God," Raisha answered. "We will lose people, how can we not if we are fighting the Reapers?" I held no answer for the krogan, despite desperately wishing otherwise. Raisha placed a gentle hand on my shoulders. "Deep breaths. You are doing better than even I thought possible. Especially with the abandonment of the STG,"

"We didn't exactly have much of a choice," Indira muttered. I blinked, glancing to the drell with concerned eyes. My brain was connecting dots, but with the whole near miss still fresh in my mind I was worried I was jumping at shadows now.

"Indira?" I questioned gently. The drell blinked, glanced over to me. A quick flash seem to cross her eyes before she beamed happily.

"What's up, Dellion?" she asked. I frowned slightly. The elevator dinged as we reached whatever floor I randomly hit. "Oo! I know, I'll make pancakes! Gotta feed those cravings!" the drell dashed out the elevator. I swung round to the door, staring.

"Indira this is the top-" I started. The drell vanished down the engineering tunnels. I stared after the biotic blue drell, concern only rising. I wasn't blind. I may be stupid but I certainly wasn't blind. The crew's reactions, Indira's subtle changes. I could only think that the crew was finding her annoying. I frowned. I would need to have a quiet word with her to keep the peace. I sighed softly as I strode towards my quarters, ignoring the krogan shadowing me. "When do the crews move out?"

"Lanster is on course to drop a small team on Thessia, bodyguard work. Another team will be deployed on Lusia, hunting for a wanted criminal," Raisha explained. I frowned at the last one.

"I've spoken with Liara, given me some details for contracts on the go. Once these two are done, we'll head off and try and nag a few of these," I carefully placed myself on the chair at my desk, glancing out the window as we travelled to the asari homeworld.

"Mat'al also has a... party for you to attend," Raisha added. I frowned severely at the krogan. Raisha smiled. "It is all about making contacts, Endellion. We must do this and as captain, it is your duty to make these contacts,"

"I know, I know. Christ, I hate parties," I sighed. "Fine, tell Mat'al I want him in his best attire for this... speaking of which-"

"You have already been sorted. Sadly, it was an expense we had to make," Raisha admitted. I nearly pulled my jaw off my face.

"You spent money without my say so?" I could barely make the words out. "On _clothes_,"

"We must have you looking your best for these events. We don't wish to give off the wrong impression," Raisha scolded. "Now no more complaints, we are an hour away from the ship that is hosting this gathering. Try to smile,"

"An hour? Why did you wait to tell me? Oh god, my hair takes ages to sort out!" I groaned, succumbing to my XO. I sighed softly as I turned to the computer, waiting for the krogan to retrieve my outfit. I had begun to keep a document to help me keep track of the ins and outs of the crews. As well as all the contacts I had. It wasn't a substantial list. I sighed sadly. I still had such a long way to go...

I skipped down the engineering tunnels, trying to ignore the scowls and grumbles that followed in my wake. I tried to smile cheerily, but I simply earned frowns in response. The tunnels were cramped, but thankfully were emptier than they had been since Illium. I eventually noticed a group of engineers swearing at a pipe. I perked immediately, bounding over curiously. Arthan'Weer vas Dreda, the blue-masked quarian with a green and navy enviro-suit, was grumbling with Cassa'Avers vas Choria. The green masked quarian seemed to be frowning as she tried to screw something in. Maerk Arnhe, a black and yellow spotted salarian, cursed as something dropped.

"Hi guys!" I greeted cheerily. Arthan scowled over his shoulder at me. "Need a hand?"

"No, we don't. Thank you, commander," Arthan retorted, politeness strained. "Cassa, is that damn screw in yet?"

"What do you think?" Cassa grumbled. "The thread is useless on this thing. Pass me a new one,"

"You've ruined the thread on five of these already," Maerk murmured unhappily. "We don't exactly have these in vast quantities,"

"Then maybe we shouldn't have pipe grips with such shit fittings," Cassa snapped.

"Then tell Shayan to put it in a report for the captain!" Arthan groaned, annoyed with the arguing.

"I can tell him!" I popped in. Arthan gave me a strained stare, almost desperate for me to leave.

"Thanks, commander. It would be welcome. Now, please excuse us," Arthan dismissed as he turned his attention to the pipe. My smile faltered slightly as someone barged into me, grumbling about 'hovering in the passageway'. I glared at his back, Aergus Navers, the pale brown/silver turian with the dark markings... asshole. I began walking back down the tunnels, the skip lost from my stride.

I knew I wasn't the easiest person to get along with, always so bouncy and happy and fairly destructive, but I wasn't that bad, was I? I frowned a little as I pinned myself to the wall as Phylla'Quines vas Qwib-Qwib, the purple masked, blue and black quarian, and Eshoria Neldir, the silvery salarian with blue/purple stripes on her face and neck carried a pipe down the tunnel. Hmm, maybe I was getting in the way a little bit... I sighed as I climbed out the tunnels and into the CIC.

I didn't see Shayan here, so I decided to pop a visit to the cockpit. At least Sershin would be happy to see me if no one else. I held in my sigh as I tried to put my bounce back into my stride. It wasn't happening. I climbed up the stairs until we were on the 4th floor of the _Starquake_, then the stairs melded into a ramp. I heard the radio chatter and laughter from here. I cautiously approached. I really didn't want to upset Dell by distracting the flight crew if they were landing.

The square room opened before me, the long stripe windows running up each side with the two nose windows before them. Lanster was in the middle, the charcoal black turian busying his hands with floating hologram screens and ship controls. Sershin sat on his right, sipping some tea as he read the incoming space reports. One of the new asari members was here as well, Mari T'Seir. The pale asari with medium blue eyes looked up curiously from a datapad. Her pale blue markings made thin lines dance over her crest like spider webs. From what I had heard, Dellion and Mat'al had rearranged the teams slightly.

"Captain, we're about 10 minutes from the MSV Glorious Gold. Looking _damn_ fine if I may say so," Lanster laughed. I heard Dellion scowl at him through the intercom.

_"I'd love to see you in a dress, Lanster. Keep up your antics and it'll be an order,"_ Dellion threatened. I peeked around Lanster's head. I saw a camera feed on a monitor. Dellion had dolled herself up in a knee-length black dress. She had actually curled her hair slightly so it sat in nice neat bundles.

"Better watch out, Lanster. She sounds serious," Sershin chuckled. Lanster scowled.

"Aye, aye, Captain," Lanster grumbled. I heard Dellion laugh.

_"But thank you, regardless,"_ Dellion grinned on the monitor. _"Made me flush a little,"_ Lanster immediately laughed, fist pumping the air.

"I still got it!" he cried. Dellion raised a brow.

_"Don't get cocky, boy,"_ Dellion retorted before turning to Raisha beside her. Lanster coughed, carefully put back in his place. He glanced back to the monitors.

"Kal'san," I finally broke my voice out. Lanster leapt in surprise while Sershin smiled at me calmly.

"Indira, good afternoon," the mucky gold drell responded. I grinned widely at him before turning to Lanster. He was busy settling his plates, grumbling that he had been caught off guard.

"You know where Shayan is?" I asked perkily. "Got a message I need to pass to him,"

"Hmm? Oh, he's talking to Arthan just now in the engineer tunnels. Something about fittings," Lanster shrugged. My smile dropped. I guess... he didn't trust me to deliver his message. Lanster tilted his head to the side. "Oh, well there's something I didn't expect to see. A sad Indira," I jumped in surprise before laughing, hoping it didn't sound as fake as I was making it out to be.

"Me? Sad? Silly Tweeters," I patted his head, earning a scowl from the blue-marked turian. "Why would I be sad?" I grinned before springing up. "I'll leave you in peace, Kal'san," Sershin nodded. "Bye now!" I skipped down the hall.

"Oi, Indira!" I heard Lanster call. I gave him a cheery wave before vanishing from sight.

I skipped through the CIC, giving friendly smiles to everyone I met. Most of the time I was met with a polite, if stiff, 'hello Commander'. Sometimes I was outright glared at. I blinked as Dellion strode out of the elevator, Raisha and Mat'al on her flanks. I frowned. Dellion looked a touch pale. Something I had noticed for a few days now, at least. She was eating her breakfast, right? She had a nasty habit of skipping breakfast at every opportunity. I bounded to a stop before her.

"Looking like you're on fire, girl! Wish I was coming, it would be so much fun!" I sulked. Dellion rolled her eyes and grinned at me.

"I doubt these merc leaders would be able to handle you," Dellion laughed. "Nor have enough alcohol," I grinned widely.

"I can get drunk! ...Just takes a lot," I shrugged, glowing under some friendly attention. Dellion tutted softly, but her eyes were smiling.

"You ok, Indira? I've noticed..." Dellion left the sentence hanging. I tried to smile through. It was difficult to remember most people were not fond of me... not at all.

"Delly, I think you have some boys to knock flat. Worry about them and not little old me," I winked. "Grab one for me, I like 'em with a good beard," Dellion coughed in surprise, giving me a stern stare.

"I'm not kidnapping a man for you," she responded.

"Aw, but Delly-" I moaned.

"And no 'Delly'. Christ, I've said it often enough," Dellion scowled. "Lanster, who's flying the shuttle?"

_"Jhort has kindly offered to chauffeur you,"_ Sershin chuckled. _"He sounded eager to try out the shuttles,"_

"Awesome. Keep the _Starquake_ in orbit around Thessia, shuttle in those doing the job here and then we'll move off into the new system when we're both done," Dellion called up.

_"Aye, aye, Captain. Oh and Liara got in contact, said she managed to get an invite for another fancy do. Looks quite high ranked. Not sure what that friend of yours is doing but she's doing a fantastic job!"_ Lanster responded. Dellion strained a smile.

"Thanks. I'll look into it. All teams to your shuttles!" Dellion summoned. A cry of 'aye, aye, captain' sounded. Dellion then spun on her heel to the elevator. I leapt in, earning more than a stare or two from some of the crew members. I beamed at Dellion.

"Mind if I go to Thessia? Not for the mission," I added hastily when a krogan, Verv I think, raised a brow at me. "Only been there a few times, never got a chance to lift that necklace I saw!" I bounced, although I felt like I had lost a lot of my spring. Dellion sighed.

"Fine, but no shoplifting," she added sternly.

"But Dellion!" I whined.

"No buts." she pointed a finger at me. I opened my mouth to complain again but she tilted her head in a way that warned me into silence. I sulked a little as we appeared on the cargo hold of the _Starquake_.

It wasn't very full, the shuttle door was towards to tail while all the goods we had were spread evenly behind the elevator, towards the nose. Beside us, three shuttles sat. The two small shuttles, both 10-seaters. These were old Kodiak UV-30's that the engineering team spruced up to do us until we could replace them. The larger 20-seater was on our right. That was still getting its checks done, if I remembered right. Both the smaller shuttles were prepped for launch.

"Alright everyone, I want to see everyone back here in one piece, alright?" Dellion stressed as she followed Jhort to the first shuttle. Mat'al was close to her shoulder, the strain marks slowly fading with each passing day. That should keep Dellion from shattering into a million pieces. The Thessia crew saluted as the shuttled was sealed and Dellion was whisked into the emptiness of space.

As for myself, I had a very uncomfortable decision, and ride, ahead of me.


	7. Chapter 7

"I hate parties," I grumbled as the shuttle carefully slotted itself back inside the _Starquake_. "Who was the asshole with the bowler hat?" Mat'al chuckled softly.

"Archen Werous, very influential member of the turian hierarchy," Mat'al's eyes gleamed. "Did you not enjoy the dance?" I openly glared at him, fingers clutching my skirt for prevent them punching Mat'al. Or attempt would be more accurate.

"He had two left feet! Dammit, I can only do Highland, Scottish Country and Irish but even I was better than him in ballroom. Fucking ballroom dancing!" I nearly pulled my hair out at the mere mention of that dancing style. Mat'al laughed merrily, a sound that was too foreign to me. "It was too much to hope that that disaster of a medieval dance would be phased out by now,"

"It was a very classy party, Dell. You did well though," Mat'al commented. "You even managed to control your tongue."

"My father was a politician," I reminded him, still seething over the ballroom dancing. "He taught me many a trick in dealing with people you would rather punch in the face and still walk away with them owing you favours," I sighed heavily. "I should not have worn these heels if I knew I would be dancing,"

"One question, however," Jhort asked from the pilot's seat. "What is the difference between ballroom and your folk dancing?" I gaped, horrified.

"Scottish folk is much skippier, the music is bouncier and the fumbles are hilarious!" I exclaimed. "Especially when you have a mass Strip the Willow. Or trying to squeeze a Dashing White Sergeant into a tiny hall. It's more hexagons than circles," I laughed at the memories, the countless weddings and dances that had featured it. Then the homesickness smashed my face in. It was like a brick dragging my organs towards my feet, leaving a trail of coldness. It certainly straightened my face as I shook myself. I breathed carefully as I rose to my now aching feet. Mat'al offered an arm, eyes alight. I scowled, desperate for a distraction from the memories of home. "No more arm holding,"

"But you still have another party to go to in a few days!" Mat'al feigned horror. He was grinning too much for my liking. "And this one, from my reports, is even higher in its class," I glared at the salarian. While I was happy to see to the salarian slowly moving back into his old self, it was becoming apparent that he felt like he owed me some pain. I stuck my tongue out as I glanced around the cargo hold. I paused mid-step, eyes on the empty spot for the second shuttle. I frowned slowly, concern tickling the hairs on the back of my neck.

"Lanster," I summoned. Jhort glanced over while he moved and locked the shuttle down. It would take time, the clamps liked to seize. "Hasn't the other team finished?" I waited for the turian to double check his radio feed. I frowned at the silence. "Lanster!" Again, nothing. "Goddam it, are the microphones broken down here or something?" I stomped off towards the elevator. Mat'al was silent, a frown creasing his lips and a slight narrowing of his eyes as he followed me, his relaxed posture now alert.

We took the elevator to the bottom CIC floor. I grumbled as I strode out into the room. But the silence immediately froze every muscle. Fear drained my body of heat, my hands shook gently as struggled to find an even breath. I dared not move a muscle. The eerie silence of the CIC reminded me of a haunted house, the suspense from a lack of movement sent chills running up and down my spine. I glanced to Mat'al. He pulled a pistol out from his outfit. I nodded towards the cockpit. I slipped my heels off while the salarian slunk towards the nose. If the worse came to worse, I didn't need to give my location away. Mat'al vanished from sight. What was going on? Lanster not reporting in, no one in the CIC? Had the Saboteurs found me? That sent my body trembling. Mat'al blessedly reappeared from the doorway. He shook his head. Empty. Someone should always be at the helm. How else had the doors opened? Unless Jhort had a special key or pin that unlocked it from the shuttle...

I abandoned the heels on the galaxy chair, following Mat'al to the engineer tunnels. If we had been boarded, we would be able to sneak around easier in the tunnels than in the open. The red hue of the tunnels made the silence worse, like a horror movie come to life. I swallowed hard as I tried to keep my cool, hand itching for the Carnifex at my thigh. Just to feel that gun in my hand would give me a huge confidence boost. I restrained though, I couldn't have it crashing around in my hand. We eventually climbed two floors to just below the crew deck. Mat'al raised a hand suddenly. We froze like deer in the headlights. The silence ticked on. No, not quite silence. I heard rumbles of a voice or two. Mat'al's expression tightened, creases opening up on the corner of his mouth and eyes. I felt a small bubble of battle lust rush through my body, tingling every nerve. We eased ourselves onto the floor. This particular ladder led us into the crew bedrooms. Once free from the red lit engineer tunnels, we pinned ourselves against the wall on either side of the door. Mat'al opened a small vent in the wall. We waited, barely breathing.

"...we don't find her?" a voice sounded, heavily distorted. I frowned. Sershin, I think.

"Pray that we do," I heard Val. "Dell is going to flip her shit if she finds out," he emphasised on the 'flip her shit'. I glanced over to Mat'al, feeling my face contort with confusion. He was frowning severely.

"The ground crew can't find her?" Raisha sounded a little distressed, as if someone had broken the most horrible news to her. The calm krogan was shaken. I didn't like that.

"No," I heard Lanster sigh. "No sight nor sound of her. She's just vanished,"

"Probably for the best," I heard a female snort. "Indira was always such an annoying cow," My shoulders bristled. Indira? Vanished? I ran my tongue over my teeth. I knew that voice very, very well. "Oh, I'll help, I'll help. Oh dear, I just broke the thing you've been working on for the past week," the voice finished sourly.

"Oh lay off," Lanster scowled. "Indira just wanted to help, she's just enthusiastic-"

"You saw what the bitch did to me on Sur'Kesh!" the female roared.

"Iona!" Val snapped, growling deep in the back of his throat. My vision was hazing a little, blood boiling. My face felt on fire as the angry flush took over. "She did it because you laughed at Dell. She was getting some payback on you-"

"I have to agree with Iona, although not as strongly," Arthan began slowly. A slow murmur of agreement rolled around the room. Mat'al gave me a long stare, trying to pin me severe frown and narrowed eyes. He reminded me of an angry teacher trying for the hundredth time to a pupil to behave. It was only then I realised I was shaking. "I know she means well, but she hasn't proved to be anything more than a minor distraction for the captain and a disaster for the rest of us. She yanked a fuel line off two weeks ago,"

"And then there was the whole engine issue. We're all screaming to fix the de-pressurisation and loss of the back-up rupture shields and here she is skipping around doing fuck all," Belak Rencer grumbled, a black spotted, brilliant blue salarian.

"Not to mention when she decided to decorate the engineering deck. Took us hours to get that wallpaper off the drive core!" Quin Gyneris, the silver turian with red markings differing from his brother with his amber eyes. His brother, Xervus, had green eyes.

"I quite liked it..." Shayan offered quietly.

"Shut up, Shayan, no one asked you!" Aergus growled. I heard the quarian whimper slightly. My veins were lava tubes filled to bursting. I had never been so blinded by rage in my life. They knew nothing... absolutely nothing!

"That is a superior officer you are speaking to, Aergus," Val snarled, trying to whip order back. "Know your fucking place-"

"Oh don't get me started on you," Aergus snarled. "The only reason you are in charge instead of Iona is because Dell can't stand Iona! I have no qualms with the captain, probably saved our asses from the STG and that I respect. You, however, are probably fucking her for all we know! All those little 'chats' you two have up in her quarters," the volume of the disgruntled aliens was only growing. "The only half-decent people she chose for command were Raisha and Mat'al! They actually seem somewhat useful!"

I decided it was time to intervene. No words could describe my utter rage. I was in no mood for any level of bullshit, from anyone. Shoving myself off the wall, I stormed through the door with a cautious Mat'al beside me. He was casting me curious, if slightly worried, stares. His eyes twitched with nerves, I would have said. No one noticed my entrance though, the cries of displeasure had enraptured many of the crew members. I popped my jaw slightly as I studied those that remained silent, or bore the brunt of the assault. The commanders, the remaining krogan not on the mission, the drell, Mysinous, Anthon, Lanster, Saere and the new joins. Only they refused to fight command. It was Shual who spotted me, his tall frame effortlessly eclipsing the other aliens. His eyes sparkled at my murderous expression. He nodded his head towards Mat'al, grinning widely as amusement lit his face. I spared a glance to the salarian. He offered his pistol with a new addition, a wide barrel. It would increase the sound ten-fold. He also kindly put blanks in it, which I disagreed with intensely. I took the pistol, raising it above my head.

The resulting screams of surprise were only enjoyed after a look of horror slipped over many faces.

I took my time when lowering the pistol, eyeing as many members of the crew as I could. Shayan's face burst into relief, Val and Raisha mimicked worry. The krogans were grinning aside from Ferilsa, the small female shuffling behind the older males. Lanster looked relieved, Anthon's eyes sparkled a little bit, clearly enjoying the squirming that was fast approaching. Saere frowned slightly, watching my body language. The drell and hanar stood at the back, silent and distant.

"Anyone," I hissed venomously. "Speaks, I will shoot your fucking face off," the still warped the room into a lead sarcophagus. I had been aggravated, certainly, but perhaps there was something different about this time. The fear was blatant. "You dare defy the people I put in command? You dare question my choices?" My tone was quiet, but judging from the way the majority of the crew flinched it had about as much punch as a nuclear bomb. They feared me. They knew I was like the STG Saboteur. They just didn't know what could set that Reaper inside me off. "Let us do this in reverse order, shall we?" I finished pleasantly as passed Mat'al his pistol. I pulled out my Carnifex, I wanted live bullets in case someone got wise. Call me cruel or Christ knows what, but there was only so much I could handle. I began a slow pace towards the crew.

"Firstly, Raisha and Mat'al were chosen because of their experience. Valérien was chosen due to his vast knowledge of technicalities of combat," I gave Iona and Aergus a hard stare. "Anyone can leap into battle and call themselves leader. These tend to be the shit ones. A real leader actually get their men out in one piece. I looked at Iona's track record. I wasn't impressed. Especially when she abandoned her 12-man crew to a thresher maw," Iona flushed slightly then. "Amazingly, they survived, but only because Val led them out!" Aergus straightened his shoulders slightly, coughing warily. "Shayan was chosen because of his experience and creativity in engineering. He wasn't chosen for his combat abilities," I stopped before Aergus, staring up at the taller turian. "I needed someone with a good head on his shoulders. And one that is screwed in," I hissed, my pistol nearly jammed under his chin. Aergus swallowed slightly. "Know your place, soldier, or I'll throw you to the Reapers myself," I strode away from him, towards the elevator where Raisha and Val stood. Mat'al was glued to my side.

"Now then, onto this matter with Indira," I stopped before the copper turian, my expression was brutal. "What the fuck has happened to my commander?" Val shuffled his weight warily, clicked his mandibles nervously. He was not afraid of my Reaper. He was just afraid I would whip around and shoot someone else. He sucked a deep breath in.

"Indira... did not rendezvous with the Thessia team after the mission. She has not been in contact and not answering any calls we make to her," he explained slowly. I breathed heavily through my nose. Indira had... just upped and left?

"And good riddance too!" Iona snapped, flustered and embarrassed that I had revealed her black stain on her record. I spun slowly, raised an eyebrow at her. The tension was strung like a noose.

"Why? Because you think she is useless?" I asked quietly. A very quiet rumble sounded, not an agreeing one, but a rumble all the same. Most people were afraid to piss me off. I had a gun, housed a Reaper and looked angry enough to smash a krogan's face in with my bare hands. Red began to haze my vision slightly. "Useless? You think Indira is fucking useless!" I thundered. "You owe her your lives! When we de-pressurised after the engine exploded, why were we not sucked into the deepest depths of space when the rupture shields failed? Why was Indira dancing around doing nothing, as you claim? She was holding up a biotic field around the whole fucking ship to prevent oxygen leaking out! She _was_ our rupture shield!" the silence returned. I noted a few salarian eyes nearly popped out. "The flight crew knew, they were watching the dials and wondering why people weren't _dying_ when the engine ripped open part of the hull! Shayan knew because he was looking at the exact same data! She was dancing around to strengthen the field in places when it was most needed! She could only do that if she was near the area! You call that useless!? She is our strongest biotic and even she was struggling to shield us all!"

"And then there was the whole decoration of the engineering deck. I _ordered_ that! A little prank to liven things up, to distract the crews from blowing a fuse because of software bugs! It fucking worked as well, did it not, Saere?" I demanded hotly. Saere nodded calmly, blowing my anger off her shoulders. She kept her expression tight, especially for a turian.

"Indeed, stress from the science teams dropped about 43%. Some even slept better before they returned to work," Saere shrugged gently.

"And the fuel pipe. Let's put it this way, what would happen had Indira not yanked that thing off the wall?" I turned to Shayan. My tone had automatically softened slightly for the quarian. Don't ask why, maybe my sub-conscious was playing me more than I thought.

"We... W-We would have lost engine five. The pipe was corroding and sending particles into the engine. I-It would have damaged it through surging..." the red-masked turian answered, shaking slightly under the stares. "I-I had diverted fuel but it was causing huge instability issues since the flow was the only thing keeping the particles from coagulating into large nodules... I-I asked Indira to rip off the pipe before any more debris entered the engine..."

"And why didn't you tell us?" Eshoria asked, the female silvery salarian frowning.

"N-None of you would listen... you kept talking over me when I tried to explain. N-None of you really listen to me u-unless the captain tells you to," Shayan answered carefully. Lanster crossed his arms as he leaned back, mandibles clicking with elation as he snorted at Aergus and Iona. Both refused to meet his eyes. I gave a hard look to the crew before me.

"Indira was chosen because of her dedication to get the job done one way or another," I began. "I chose her because I knew she wasn't afraid to do what was necessary. She has risked her own health to keep you safe. Any biotic can tell you what happens to your body when you hold a large shield up for any length of time! And she did that willingly without being asked!" I sucked in air, trying to chase the haze away. "Dismissed," I whispered. "And if I hear another ill word against my choices of commander, I will deal with you personally," the room was still, silent. A wheat field waiting for the wind the cease. I snarled. "Dismissed!" I roared. A cry of startled 'Yes, captain' rang clearly before the majority of the crew scattered. I breathed heavily as I turned to Lanster, still seated. "Indira refuses to make contact?"

"I'm afraid so," Lanster answered sadly, unafraid of my anger. Brave man. "Even hacked into your mail account – you really need a better password – and sent one that way but still, nothing," I flicked my eyebrows up, giving the turian a sceptical stare. He seemed very relaxed about revealing my hacked password to me.

"I'll be in my quarters. Calming down," I stressed. I strode with purpose to the elevator, abandoning the commanders. I was too furious to deal with anyone right now.

So I now had loyalty issues within the crew, a commander who had apparently deserted us, no idea on where to lead a Reaper search and study team, no computer banks to assemble and prep making the majority of my team sit around on their asses all day and our money was almost into the negatives. I locked the door once I entered my room. Without Indira here, only Mat'al could really hack it without Lanster's help. He would only betray me if he decreed that I was in distress. I hoped. I sighed as I sunk on the sofa, dragging my fingers through my hair, yanking the pins out as my head flopped back. When was this shit going to stop happening to me? When could I have a few days where things went right? I cautiously measured my breathing for a few moments, assembling myself.

I carefully navigated my way to my desk, summoning the communication network to my fingers. Indira was still connected, I prayed. I began trying to call the drell. I spent the next hour trying to make her pick up, every five minutes another attempt. That hour slowly dissolved into the majority of the night. Several people knocked at the door, I was surprised no one had tried to hack it. Lanster did voice his concerns over the intercom, saying I needed food and sleep. He had also informed me that he had dropped the next team off for their assignment, trying to ease me back into some semblance of my usual self. I gave a brief nod of my head, fixated to the screen. I did not sleep. I think I heard Saere for a time but she refused Lanster's offer to open the door. She wanted me to come willingly. I was not willing.

Finally, at 4:17am, Indira picked up.

"I forgot how persistent you are," Indira managed a strained smile, her bounce and flare all but gone from her. I didn't know where she was, it was just a blank wall behind her. I quivered with the nerves as I smiled back.

"Damn right I am," I answered. I was struggling to breathe, my throat felt like it was the size of a pin head. "Dira, I need you to come back to the _Starquake_." the drell dropped her eyes, slouching against the wall behind her.

"I'm not wanted, Dell," she sighed. My shoulders bristled. She never called me Dell... never! "I just get in the way,"

"The hell you do," I growled. "I nearly shot Aergus and Iona today for bad mouthing you. Christ, you can't even save their bloody lives without criticism," Indira managed a laboured laugh, shaking her head lightly. This Indira wasn't the Indira I was used to. She wasn't trying to speak over me or hurl herself in my face. Nearly the opposite, in fact. It was... uncomfortable.

"I think someone said that the greatest achievements are overlooked the most. I think I see what they mean now," she smiled sadly at me. "You don't need me,"

"Dira, who is going to keep me sane? Val? Mat'al? Raisha? Shayan? Listen to me, please, things are just starting to turn around. It was your idea to turn merc until we had a fair idea of where we were going, putting money in the bank. Who's going to help me keep Iona in line?" I begged. I was begging, wasn't I?

"I'm sure Lanster can keep you sane," Indira responded. I laughed mockingly at that. I liked the turian, of course, but he was very predictable. And a really bad flirt. "I'm sure Val can keep Iona in check... he's good at that," she was determined not to come back... dammit, I can't lose someone like this!

"Indira, please. Please, don't do this to me," I pleaded. I begged with my eyes, my whole expression reading absolute distraught fear while the drell gazed almost lifelessly back at me. She flicked a smile slightly. It was a total fake.

"Sorry, Dell. I don't see how I can make anything better," she rubbed an eye. "I'm going now, you'll be ok. It'll be easier without me screwing around all the time,"

"Indira, please-!" I gaped as I stared at the blank screen. "No, no, no. Oh God, please, please don't let this happen," I tried to redial, but I was dragged onto voicemail. I kept trying, frantically trying to bring the drell back on. I couldn't lose a friend like this! I couldn't! Dammit, it had to be the Reapers. It had to be! Had they put a device on the ship that was indoctrinating people? Was that why they were rising against me? Abandoning me? Still, I failed to connect with Indira. Goddam it, you monstrous machines! I hate you! I hate every single last one of you-

_"For once, Shell, this is not of our doing,"_ Nyryntha rumbled in my head. She sounded so... smug. I blinked away the headache, tears staining my cheeks. I slammed my fists on the table, the pain shuddering up my arms triggering the stress and frustration to bubble out of my eyes. My fragile bottle of pent up emotions shattered.

I didn't even remember the door being ripped off its hinges until I was staring, bleary eyed and hands pinned above my head, into silver speckled navy eyes.


	8. Chapter 8

I stared at the reports, shifting through the assignments. A few more contracts had come in, still low pay but we were slowly and surely building a reputation for swift and excellent work and service. My finger slipped on my datapad. For the hundredth time, I stared at the messages, still empty from any sign of Indira. It had been three days and there hadn't been a single snippet from her. I think even the crew that despised her were now beginning to the shudder at the silence. Indira had always made the place more...cheery. And several salarians were complaining about the coffee. Indira can make a damn good salarian coffee.

"We are just about breaking even. The new bedding should keep everyone's spirits up, I hope. They can stop complaining about how itchy the current ones are," I gave a half smile to Mat'al, resting on an idle computer bank. The salarian grumbled slightly. He was sorely missing Indira's coffee.

"We're in for the long haul. Once we have enough to replace these engines with, I think we can safely say that we can finally get around to tracking some Reapers," he answered, watching Mysinous, the blue hanar, tottle on by. I made a sound of agreement, desperately looking for a distraction from Indira. I found one in the haze around me. I scowled at the galaxy map surrounding me.

"Shayan!" I summoned. "Have you figured out how to make this thing only come on when I want it to? I can barely see the crew here!"

_"Captain, you're asking me to create a complex algorithm that is borderline psychic. I don't have the tech here to be able to have a sensor on the chair that picks up your thoughts!"_ Shayan's voice exclaimed through the static. I frowned at a nearby speaker.

"A button on the arm would do," I pointed out. There was a long pause from the engineering deck.

_"That... that is much more reasonable. I'm... I-I'm not sure why I didn't think of that before,"_ he sounded embarrassed.

"I'm an old tech girl. Nothing wrong with buttons and levers," I sighed as I flicked another report off my screen.

"Until they stick or break," Mat'al offered. I glared at him.

"If 10 engineers cannot fix a stuck button, why the hell are these people on my ship looking after complex electrical, plumbing, hydraulic and incredibly flammable systems?" I raised a brow. Mat'al's eyes glittered as he smiled contentedly at me.

"The same reason we are saving up for a muffin machine instead of crew pay," he retorted.

_"Oi, oi, oi, oi!"_ Lanster growled over the intercom. _"I will turn this ship around and back to Sur'Kesh if you don't stop dissing my cupcake machine! That _is_ my pay!"_ I returned Mat'al's smug look before I turned my gaze to the datapad before me. The salarian was frowning towards the cockpit, hand itching for the Predator Pistol with the air rounds in it. I glowered at the salarian warningly. Mat'al eventually crossed his arms again. My finger tapped my inbox, despite no new notifications. I grimaced at my action once I snapped back to myself.

"So what's the plan then?" I asked Mat'al, the salarian once again staring blankly around the CIC. Well, at least he kept his word about staying close to hand. He glanced down at me.

"We have one last gathering to attend. After that, it is simply back to picking up small jobs until I can land us some larger work," he answered. "Think you can manage your best behaviour?" he finished sweetly. I openly gawked at him before I composed my face and smiled haughtily at him.

"Darling, I was born ready," I grinned softly. Mat'al raised a brow, giving me a cold, blank stare. After a few heartbeats I fluttered my eyebrows. He flushed.

"Endellion Shaik!" he exclaimed. I burst out laughing. He continued to flush as I watched him fume. I loved catching that salarian by surprise! "I will shoot you,"

"What else is new?" I asked, shoving myself to my feet. I ignored the frozen stare I was receiving from Mat'al. "Lanster, ETA?"

_"About half an hour, Captain,"_ Lanster responded. _"You wearing that dress again?"_ I raised an eyebrow.

"Eyes off, lad, otherwise you may be on the wrong end of a salarian wielded gun," I nodded my head towards Mat'al. The silence dragged on.

_"Point taken,"_ he finally responded. I smiled at a camera before turning to the elevator.

"Mat'al, come to my quarters in 10 minutes before we leave. We need to discuss tactics," I commanded. Mat'al was still trying to freeze my blood solid. I shuffled under his gaze. A slight smug look appeared on his face. I flushed as I scowled weakly. He knew he had shaken me. Bastard.

"Aye, aye," he responded. I flicked him a quick frown before the elevator doors stole the CIC from me. I sagged my shoulders.

It had been a lonely few days, I would admit. Maybe that was why the commanders were taking turns to 'watch' me. There was only so much of Val I could take, Mat'al always made me want to strangle him, Raisha would bore me after a while and Shayan was simply too nervous to have a straight conversation with. Indira had always bounced nearby, had always been within earshot and ready to leap into a conversation. Always ready with a joke or a prank to try and ease me into a better mood. The woman drove me crazy, don't get me wrong, but I kind of needed more fun crazy than stress crazy. Something I was all too familiar with. I shook myself out as I strode out of the elevator and into my quarters.

Mar bounced by my side as I stepped over the threshold, hovering like a mother hen at my shoulder while I dragged that scratchy dress off the hanger. If I ended up going to several of these things, I would definitely need a new dress. This thing was just too skin irritating. But I had to grit and bear, I had to be strong, had to be positive. I couldn't let the extremely early and surprising departure of one of my commanders drag the whole mission down. We still had Saboteurs to destroy and Reapers to annoy. I started fussing with my hair after I had changed, but it didn't ease my emotions. The money was certainly helping, the crew was a little more relaxed now that they actually had something to do. At this rate, I wouldn't have to worry about feeding these poor bastards.

Mission! Think about the mission! I shook my head hard before staring my disordered mass of hair. I glared before deciding to tie it up. Ok, so I was going to a place on Thessia, big estate place owned by a human, Paul Avimore. A major player in the merc market apparently. It wasn't just merc leaders who were going to be here. Potential clients were arguably the most important contacts I had to make. Do a good job for a big name and you'll have business flowing your way. All basic knowledge my mother drilled into me. God I missed her. I stared at my reflection, now regretting that my hair was so similar to her copper sprawl of locks. Her confidence, grace, professionalism, humour. She wasn't a pretty lady, not by the standards back in the day, but my father married the woman for her brain.

Dammit stop getting side tracked!

I took a careful breath, recollecting myself as I tried to brush off the homesickness, the mourning, away. Be strong, be positive and most of all, be approachable but dangerous. It was a fine line to walk. Mat'al walked it well, appearing to be nothing more than a harmless salarian until he began speaking. By that point it was too late to back out of a conversation. I dragged the air into my lungs. I could only hope that my confidence would even itself out. Right now, it bounced in and out of my life whenever it liked. I had to deal with that if I was to be leader. My blood soured at that final thought.

"Dell," I heard Mat'al's voice sound. I blinked. 20 minutes already? I turned to the salarian as he leaned against the glass panels separating the upper and lower parts of my quarters. "Just remember not to fall on your face," I glared at the smug salarian. Well, that was an opener!

"So long as you don't drink too much wine. Bloody hell, Mat'al," I retorted. Mat'al raised a brow, although I wondered if he was fighting a flush under that dark skin of his. I doubt I would know. "You were getting awfully friendly with that asari last time-"

"I was not getting 'awfully friendly' with anyone. She likes to be flirted with and let slip she had two contracts she was fighting for," Mat'al defended, scowling at me. I grinned.

"Of course, Commander, as you say," I smirked before standing. The salarian continued to scold me like a child as we strode down to the elevators. "Same as before?"

"For the most part, just keep your head, don't fall for the usual information feeder traps and don't piss anyone off," Mat'al answered, already brushing off the taunt. I think he was getting used to me knowing what annoyed him by this point. "Paul Avimore is a powerful mercenary boss, you cannot, under any circumstances, anger him. Piss him off and we'll have to fight for business,"

"I'll be careful, Mat'al. I cannot afford to screw anything else up," I answered deadened. Mat'al spared me a glance from the corner of his eye, frowning slightly. I took a careful breath in as elevator floor dinged.

"Indira was not your fault, Dell," he told me firmly. "She left on her own terms. It's hardly your fault she was 5 screws short of sanity," I gave him a slight smile as the elevator doors closed behind us, heading for the cargo hold.

"Mmm," I responded mutely, choosing not to voice my differing opinions. I spied Mat'al's grimace, but otherwise he kept his tongue. The salarian adjusted his coat as we exited onto the cargo deck. Jhort was waiting for us with one of the smaller shuttles prepped and ready to fly. I gave him a smile as he popped the door open. "Everything ready, Jhort?" I asked.

"Yes, Captain," the quarian saluted. "Just waiting for Lanster to give us the go ahead to embark,"

_"Shouldn't be long, Captain,"_ Lanster responded over the intercom. _"Just awaiting permission to approach to drop the shuttle. Control around this side of the planet is always a sticky issue. Bloody asari and their secrets,"_ he grumbled. I smiled a touch. At least Lanster was still as mouthy as ever. Jhort offered a hand as I entered the shuttle. Such a gentleman. I didn't want to hurt his feelings, so I grudgingly accepted it. I didn't need help into the shuttle with heels like this. Mat'al was nearly glued to my side.

"Deep breaths, Dell," Mat'al emphasised. I squinted my eyes at him. "You're trembling," I flushed a little as I shook myself out. I hated parties...

_"Alright, Jhort. We've got permission. Have fun, Captain! And uh,"_ Lanster coughed a little. _"Take it easy. Most of the crew are a little concerned after that big blow out..."_

"I'll be fine, Lanster. I just... need things to go right for a change," I offered. The turian did not respond as Jhort manoeuvred the shuttle out of the cargo hold and towards Thessia.

Thessia was a beautiful planet. The delicate trees towering above the land, the gentle breeze swaying vast fields of grass. It was almost like Earth had the birds been birds and not these strange scaled creatures. I didn't see a single furred animal on this planet. Maybe that was why the asari were hairless. Maybe ezzo made hair growth difficult although that didn't explain how human biotics were not bald. I shook my head softly as we approached the estate, a towering silver-sheen building with vast grounds surrounding it. Fountains galore I might add. Shuttle activity was high around this pointed building, it reminded me more of a crown than a building with its multiple points. I glanced at the attire of the other guests as we lined up the land. At least I wasn't under-dressed. Well, slightly.

We were greeted just as I popped out the shuttle with Mat'al.

"Good evening, Ma'am, sir," the human bowed his head politely. I put on my most sophisticated smile. I hoped it was enough. It felt like my face was trying to suppress a sneer.

"Good evening. Captain Endellion Shaik and Commander Mat'al Delern," I introduced. The dark haired human flicked through his datapad.

"Ah yes, here you are. Thank you, Captain Shaik. Please enjoy the party," he waved his arm smoothly towards the mountain of stairs that climbed the hill this estate was built upon. I parted ways with a thank you as Mat'al and I began our ascent. I tried to ignore the other guests. I felt like such an amateur around these more experienced mercs. I also didn't like how some people had arrived in groups of 4 or five. I quivered slightly as my insecurity began numbing my limbs.

I enjoyed the climb up, exercise always helped me concentrate on my body that what was pouring through my head. I did think that these stairs were a test to see who was a physically unfit captain or leader. A leader who could not walk up a few dozen stairs was not a good example of their party. I was barely breathless by the time I reached the top, entering the vast double doors inlaid with decorative spirals and colour. I am not a girl easily impressed. This place hardly impressed me. I frowned at the giant crystal chandeliers, what it said was 'I am compensating for something', usually security about their own wealth. The expensive food lined on buffet tables made me want to cock a brow at them, a mouse would struggle to keep starvation at bay. A sip of the wine spoke of an expensive grape. Although, being technically from an upper class family, wine tasting was almost second nature.

This particular bottle had not been fermented long enough. It was very sour.

Mat'al fussed with a cuff, my cue to begin. I began to mingle with the other people who had gathered here. I fanatically tried to remember names, commit them to memory. You never know when you needed to remember something like that. I quivered at times and was solid at others. I hated my confidence levels. So I laughed, joked and listened to the other merc leaders or potential clients and their problems. I wasn't the only small merc company here, but I was definitely the newest.

I spoke with the leader of a group called Noire, famous mostly for their collection and delivery of goods. Regardless of what kind. His group had been established decades ago by his father, the greying haired male seemed quite taken by me. Either that or he simply wanted to sleep with a young thing. I smiled politely and continued to keep conversation until a client came over to have a stern word with him. I made a hasty escape as the voices rose. I was then stolen into a conversation by a Volus named Elshan Cor. I remembered the name. He was the last job we had. The last one when Indira vanished…He spoke nothing but of praises about my crew. I nearly flushed at his words. I wondered if it was on purpose or if he was simply so satisfied with my crew's work. A word from Mat'al after we managed to leave him informed me my caution was well warranted. He had been trying to trip me up, to make me say something. He earned money by ruining other's reputations when he needed money.

And then I met the man himself.

"Captain Endellion Shaik," I heard summon, a smooth and silky male voice that seemed to drown on my name. I was careful to turn, to face the host of this gathering. The human, Asian in origin, was taller than I would have expected, almost the same height as I. His demeanour spoke of a slimy gentleman with trust issues as he kissed the back of my hand, his eyes never leaving mine. Mat'al was ever vigilant at my side. "An honour," he drawled.

"Paul Avimore, a pleasure. My deepest appreciation for the invitation," I responded.

"My dear, it was the only thing I could do. Your group is not even a month old and yet some big names are whispering your name. You have…fascinated my employers," he responded, gently stroking his goatee. I smiled, measuring each millimetre of movement my face made. His aura sent chills down my spine.

"Doing good work for the right people has paid off," I responded simply. Mat'al kept his posture relaxed, but to think he was would be ill-advised.

"Indeed, indeed," Paul agreed, indicating I should walk with him. I carefully, if not reluctantly, accepted his offered arm. Mat'al was a hawk behind us. "Miss Shaik, I may call you Miss?" he asked. I nodded slowly. "My thanks. You are a fascinating individual, Miss Shaik. So young and yet you have such a high position. You have much experience?" I raised my chin a notch.

"And why is it of interest to you, sir?" I asked stiffly.

"Well, allow me to put this simply then," he smiled. My whole frame stiffened at the deafening clicks of guns. I kept my gaze locked to Paul's, the dark eyed male smiling as he dragged me deeper into his building. I glance behind me informed me that Mat'al was held a gun-point. His expression was dead as he stared at the five men around him. The room was silent. Paul twirled me in an embarrassing flurry as he released me in the middle of the room. I stared up at the balconies, lined with gunmen of various species. All were garbed in Blue Suns armour. My trembles evolved into quakes.

"Ah," I began, nearly choking on the tightness of my throat. "I have a poor record with Blue Suns," I added as dryly as possible. Paul smiled contently.

"Oh, we know," he chuckled, walking around me with a pistol at his hip. I crossed my arms, trying desperately to keep my composure. Inside, I was losing my mind. I struggled to keep my voice flat. I simply had to glance to Mat'al to harden my spine a little. "You have come into our territory, stealing our work and you didn't think we would care? We had to do some digging for this 'Captain Endellion Shaik'. You managed to escape our little capture plan on the Citadel nearly a year ago. Our original client is interested in re-collecting you again. We also need to pay you back for the stealing some data from us-"

"Actually, sweetheart," I laughed sarcastically, attempting to bat away the fear. "You stole that data originally. I simply took it back,"

"Which upset a good number of people," Paul responded with a frown. I think he was unnerved by my lack of fear. Thank god for Raisha and her training! Keep a straight face, for God's sake, do not panic! "Now then. Search her," he nodded his head to me. I snapped my gaze to a group of aliens approaching me. I gave them cold stares, fists clenched at my sides. One hesitated. The other wasn't so lucky.

Desperation is a strange thing. Your body behaves in ways it failed to do before, made your mind process the tiniest of things faster. The asari grabbed my arm. All I remembered was kicking her feet out from under her, grabbing her head and twisting it until I heard something snap. I dropped the limp body, trying to get my panicked breaths under control again. Now, why couldn't I do that when I wanted to!?

"Dammit, shoot her knees out!" Paul snapped. I whirled around as guns were raised to eye level. Shit, not the knees! I hated having my knees taken out-!

I stared helplessly as the entire balcony collapsed, its hold on the wall snapping. Men and women screeched as the whole floor bowed and snapped. The whole thing simply crushed many of them as it contorted like an octopus. Paul gaped at the scene around him. Screams rang out as people fled the building, afraid of further collapse. I heard some yells nearby as Mat'al snatched a gun and began dealing with his holders. I pressed a hand to my ear as I whirled around.

"I need a ground crew! Fire fight at the manor. I need backup, dammit!" I cried as I dived for some cover, behind a pillar. The bullets began flying.

_"Roger that! Getting a team down there ASAP. Sit tight!"_ Lanster answered back, a surge of noise around him.

"Hurry!" I enforced.

"Damn you to hell, Shaik!" I heard Paul snap. "What the hell is wrong with you? How do you keep fucking everything up?"

"It's a gift!" I screamed back, snatching my Locust from my thigh. I took a few deep breaths before peaking around my cover. Mat'al was pinned down behind an overturned buffet table, a pile of corpses around him. I was stuck nearly in the middle as Paul Avimore screamed out orders. Reinforcements began piling in from above, a glass dome I had been too distracted to notice before shattering. A fist curled around the pillar, nearly popping my shoulder out its joint as it made contact. I think I yelled as I crashed against the floor. I struggled to get back on my feet, my body rocking and waves of pain wringing me inside out. A bulky human leapt around the pillar then, shotgun in hand. He looked up then, a panicked cry crawling from his throat before rubble crashed into him. I was helpless as Mat'al began to close the distance between us. What the hell was going on?

"The next person," A voice began, hissing angrily. "Who lays a hand on her, wins a free trip to hell," I was fixated on a biotic controlled brick soaring through the air to crush a turian skull against the wall. I then heard heels clicking readily. I slowly looked up, joy bursting through me. Surrounded in a biotic aura, in dusty purple armour of Serice Council style – with biotic blue staining the sides of the abdomen plate, the shoulder guards, the sides of the boots, the thigh plates and running of the belt and spine guards – she came.

"Indira!" I cried. The drell smiled cockily at me as Mat'al finally managed to get to my side. The salarian hauled me up on my feet. "Where the fuck have you been, how did you get here?" She was here? She actually came back? Why? She was so determined not to come back!

"Oh, here and there. They'll be plenty of time to catch up later though," she winked. I grinned happily my face aching slightly. Indira had come back…she had come back! "Aaaaaand," she smirked. "I did some digging. While finishing up a job or two to get some money, I learned some interesting facts about our lovely host here," I furrowed my brows at her. I ripped the heels off my feet, the heel had snapped on one of them.

"What facts?" I hinted slowly. Indira was too calm and too smug for my liking.

"That our friend here has a bounty on his head. 10'000 credits if he is brought dead," she turned slowly, smiling with menace. "Over 3 million alive," My eyes nearly popped out of my skull. I joined Indira in the middle of the room, the Blue Suns around us busy trying to deal with a biotic hand strangling them. I stood by her side, gaping.

"3 million credits…alive?" I could barely speak. I couldn't be dreaming this…I simply couldn't…

"Mmm. I wanted to get you a present, something to help ease you mind a little. 3 million credits was a good place to start," Indira grinned. I glanced at Paul Avimore, the human now sweating, whirling around in the now wrecked by fairly empty room, looking for an escape route. My eyes met Indira's again. We both smirked as our expressions darkened slightly.

"Bag him and I'll cancel any hard feelings," I grinned. Indira laughed merrily before her biotics surrounded her even more vividly.

"Deal," she skipped off towards Paul, her eyes alight with a terrifying promise.

I just simply wanted to break down and cry.


	9. Chapter 9

"My deepest thanks, Captain Shaik. I've been after this man for many years," the dark skinned asari smiled smoothly. I shook her hand while her attendant asari tended to the money transfer with Mat'al. She offered me a very amused smile as she stared past my shoulder towards the corridor beside the CIC walkway where her guards were securing her prize. We currently stood within the airlock, the asari's ship docking alongside our own. "I am also very entertained by your... revenge," I could only grin widely while Paul Avimore was dragged inside the airlock by some guards, the flowery dress ruffled at his knees. He threw me a flushed face of pained rage. I was enjoying this too much. I smiled smugly at the asari.

"We have our ways, ma'am. Thank you for the reward and we wish you a pleasant trip back to Thessia," I concluded. The asari bowed her head before exiting the airlock, departing the _Starquake_. My crew and I moved back inside the _Starquake_, allowing the airlock to seal itself off while the second ship separated themselves. I waited until their ship was disappearing into the emptiness of space before I turned to Mat'al. He nodded. 3.2 million Credits in the bank. I giggled in glee, bouncing on the spot, unable to hide my pleasure as a wide smile cracked over my face. I had money in the bank! I could afford all those little things that would make the crew much friendlier to me as well as kit ourselves up for our future missions. I flung my arms around Indira.

"I love you, Indira. I love you so much!" I nearly clung to the drell as she laughed.

"Dellion, for you I would get you anything," she grinned. "You want a star? I heard there was a really nice one about 30 light years from here," I patted her back, scowling softly, as I moved away, my mind already towards the future expenditures of the Starq_Starquake_ uake. I didn't need to own a star, I have much bigger things on my mind.

Indira certainly wasn't her old self, I noted as I began to walk down the hall. She was calmer, more judging of the time to burst into dance as it were. She wasn't bouncing or skipping by my heel for another thing too. I planned on having a good chat with her later. After I reintroduced to her to the crew. Raisha had summoned the crew to the CIC under my orders. I neglected to tell her that Indira had returned, I wanted to see the reactions. I watched through the glass at the rabble of people below me. I shook my shoulders out, preparing for either a storm of discontent or relief over our new situation.

Mat'al and Indira were on my flanks as I walked into the CIC and mounted the stairs, striding out onto the walkway above the CIC. The silence that fell over the crew was telling, the air thick as people stared. What were they thinking, I pondered. 'Oh God, she's back', 'Why does the captain look so smug?' I gave Iona and Aergus a stern stare, wondering if they would say anything. Both were stiff, but otherwise kept their mouths shut. I joined Raisha, Val and Shayan, giving them a real smile for the first time in what felt like eternity. I turned to the crew, shoving that hard lump in my throat to my toes.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen," I began, brushing some hair behind my ear. I ignored the way my plastered cheek stung at the touch. I hadn't escaped that party unscathed. "Well, I have some very good news for you. My little plan has gone off without a hitch," I grinned at Indira. The drell kept her expression smug but looked attentive to where this was going. "As you know, Commander Thermi'a departed the _Starquake_ for a time. I assure you, I had planned for this. However, your reactions to her were not," I frowned at the crew. "Commander Thermi'a was doing a recon mission for me, to find information about any potential, high paying work. She found one. She met up with me during my little party and we were able to capture a wanted man. You can now thank her for the 3.2 million credits that now sits in our bank as well as ramping our reputation up tenfold,"

I took great satisfaction in the surprised expressions on most of the crew, especially Iona and Aergus, at this 'news'. Indira grinned slowly, carefully composing herself. I'm not sure what was going through Val, Raisha or Shayan's head, I couldn't see them behind me. I gave myself a moment before continuing on with my little speech.

"So, after checking our finance situation, we are in the process of purchasing several items. Uniforms will be here within the next week. New weapons and ammo stocks will be here in the next day or two, we also have ordered new bedding as well as some new utilities for the kitchen and living quarters. I will be speaking with the flight crew about new engines. We are fortunate that our engines are incredibly rare and thus very much sought after. So we should hopefully walk away with new engines and a small profit. We are also looking at new computer banks as well, so once the science teams have decided on what they need, they'll be on their way as well. We are on the downward slope, people. We have a few smaller missions coming up so get some rest. Dismissed," I patted Indira's shoulder as I walked towards the elevator. The drell fell in beside me as the crew started mumbling amongst themselves.

"Thank you, Dellion," Indira smiled once the elevator doors shut. "You didn't need to dress it up like that," I winked at her in response.

"Of course I did, you didn't see me explode after you left," I responded, leaning against the wall as it took me up the top floor. "Glad you came back,"

"Someone has to keep you sane," Indira grinned. "Otherwise you might shoot someone,"

"Truer words have never been spoken," I sighed solemnly. Indira laughed and bumped into my shoulder. "Dira, you still going to be a crazy lizard? I've noticed that you weren't really as skippy as you were," we left the elevator, making a bee-line for Indira's room. The second room on the left had always been a bit messy, but it was strange to see it clean. Indira smiled slightly, stretching as if to distract herself a little.

"Oh don't worry, I'll still be a pain in the ass," she grinned widely for a time. She even winked. "Just in smaller chunks,"

"Well thank fuck for that!" I joked. Indira pouted at me, sticking her tongue out childishly.

"Consider me a pain in your ass all the time in that case," she countered. My muscles tingled with dread at the thought of insane Indira bounding around me for all time. I just couldn't handle that!

"Indira. Please don't," I swallowed, pleading. The drell was a damn slippery customer, that's for sure! Indira grinned as she flopped on her bed, smiling smugly in my direction. I scowled softly before dragging myself back to my original purpose. "Why did you leave, Indira? You had me worried sick," I asked quietly, seating myself on the edge of her bed. Indira was quiet, contemplating her reasoning. She chewed her gum lightly, eyes lost in thought.

"Do you know why I was so bouncy, Dellion?" she asked. I heaved a breath. I mutely shook my head in answer. Indira had never parted with that sort of information and I didn't want to pry. Indira flicked a smile up, once again caught in the gloom. "When I was growing up, my mother would always complain 'Indira, you never smile. Why are you always so grumpy? Why can't you be more outgoing like your sister and brother?' The answer was really quite simple," she flopped back on the bed, resting the heels of her hands on her forehead. Her eyes were lost to me. "My father worked from home a lot, I rarely got to see him. He did everything he could for us and mum ended up throwing him away because he was never home. Hypocritical bitch," she cursed harshly. I patted her knee, dragging her attention away from the anger contorting her face. Indira had to take a minute before continuing. She really hated her mother that much...?

"My mum later contracted Kepral syndrome. Living on Kahje is difficult for drell because the air is so moist compared to our planet. It damages the lungs so they cannot take oxygen into their systems. She died pretty quickly," Indira rubbed her hands together, folding them into each other. She looked pained; her lips tight, eyes distraught, brow furrowed. I reached out and squeezed her hands gently. She hated her mother, and when she passed away, did she realise her mistake? I knew the feeling of losing family. It stung you in places you never wanted, burned the parts of you that you loved away.

"Indira, if it's too much-" I began. Indira jolted slightly, awoken by my words. She shook her head adamantly, she narrowed her eyes slightly, tightened her expression. Boy, she was resolute.

"I learned later that my dad had sold information about the hanar security systems to someone, left some of Kahje's defences wide open for attack. That was how he was getting the money, why he was away from us so much. He was on missions to sell this kind of information to those of unsavoury nature," Indira sighed heavily. "My mum ended up being the person I should have listened to. She had been trying to keep us safe without ever telling me why she did anything. I... I felt like I owed her something, owed her an apology for being so difficult," her voice cracked. She took a few harsh breaths, recollecting herself. I was helpless as I listened. "So I decided to become a little more outgoing, try to make friends with as many people as possible," she laughed sarcastically. "Guess I went too far in the opposite direction,"

"No," I answered, coughing to clear the clogged emotion in my throat. "You just... need to do in smaller bursts, that's all," Indira smiled, finally putting a lid on her demons.

"Smaller bursts... I can do that," she grinned. "While we are exposing our deepest secrets here," she began dramatically, leaning towards me with her face turning curious as she regarded me. "Why don't you let anyone call you Delly?" Now it was my turn to be silent and pained. It was a sensible question; why allow some nicknames and not others? But was there a good way to explain it? I struggled to form words while I chased the meaning to the darkest depths of my mind.

"There are only one person in this entire universe," I began slowly, hoping the words would come to me. "Who can call me 'Delly'," my throat clogged up, the memories flew into my mind. I could see him, crystal clear, with his broad smile and smug eyes. He had been so full of himself. "But he's dead now, dead and there is nothing but hurt in my heart from the hole he carved out when I think of him," I said that with struggle. Did I ever really come to terms with the death of my friends and family? Did I ever properly mourn?

"I guess... it's a pretty important word then, huh?" Indira answered carefully, minding her tongue for once. I nodded. "Don't worry, Dellion," she winked suddenly. "Anyone calls you Delly, I'll take them sky dancing like I did Iona on Sur'Kesh," I snorted in surprise, the memory chasing away the darker ones wishing to rise in a sharp instant. Oh, Iona despised Indira for that!

"Deal," I grinned, finally able to smile. My face ached from frowning so much.

_"Captain, sorry to interrupt. You're needed in to cockpit ASAP,"_ Lanster broke over the intercom. I rolled my eyes as I smiled tiredly at Indira.

"The joys of being captain. I'll let you settle in. I want you back on duty bright and early tomorrow. We still have a shit ton of work to do," I frowned slightly at the last words. Indira kicked me lightly, shoving me off the bed. I squealed as I flopped onto the floor. I growled quietly at the drell. Indira laughed happily. I made a silent promise to pay her back at some point. I could only assume she was trying to snap me out of my stress haze that would be building, no doubt.

I abandoned the drell in her room, trying to keep my face from burning this flush on my cheeks. Nobody saw me being shoved to the floor, so I was unclear as to why I even bothered to be embarrassed. Indira knew, that was enough of a worry, I guessed. I paused in the elevator as I descended to the lower decks. Breaking out onto the CIC, it was an interesting walk. For one, several people were making timid attempts to get within 10 feet of me. Good, they were learning that I had my triggers and now that the danger had past, I was much safer to approach. Maybe Anthon raised a hand from his computer bank, furrowing his brow at the data before him. I could only guess that the crew had picked something up. Reaper tech? I hastened my step towards the bow of the ship.

"What's up, Lanster?" I called as I entered the cockpit, the small room lit by orange screens and starlight. Leaning on the back of the pilot's chair, I stared at the screens before me. I still needed a flying lesson or ten. Lanster scowled back at me. He hated people leaning on his chair, 'you could break it' was the usual response. As captain, he couldn't exactly argue with me, not in public anyway. He flicked a screen up to my eye level.

"We picked up an SOS beacon from a batarian transporter. Looks like fire from the message, but it about as clean as a varren's ass," Lanster began. I could only screw my face at him, incredulous that he actually knew what a varren's ass was like. I don't think the turian understood my expression, mostly by his lack of comment. "The main problem though is that the beacon is almost two weeks old. There doesn't seem to be any logical reason why the ship should be this far out of the normal flight paths for transporters, especially batarian," he spun the chair 90 degrees, dragging my arm rest from under me. He clicked his mandibles as I stumbled, a subtle cue of his smugness. I kicked him in the shin. I took great satisfaction at the yelp and resulting laughter from the remaining flight crew.

"So what is the problem?" I prodded. The turian sulked, looking dejected.

"The problem is that everything about this is screaming trap. Under galactic law, any SOS should be investigated, but a beacon this old with no enquiry is nothing short of pirates. You're the captain, you need to decide whether or not we investigate this or if we slip quietly by and pretend we were never here," Lanster responded, beginning with a grumble but slowly easing into his relaxed self as the sting of humiliation wore off.

I clucked by tongue softly. I had been warned of pirate traps, luring unsuspecting aliens into an inescapable snare. A beacon that was 2 weeks old without an answering call or being silenced by the ships that did investigate was a prime example of a trap. Still, we were travelling through a rarely traversed trail to Ilos, keeping a low profile from the STG and any other Saboteur infested organisations. If the beacon was genuine, why were they this far out of the usual flight paths, why would Batarians be out here? What operations that they completed or were going to do that required them to be all the way out here? What to do... dammit, I hated being captain! Ok, follow your gut, Dell. What do your instincts tell you?

"Warm up the cannons, raise the shields. Let's investigate this. If it is a trap, maybe we can disperse it so they can't lure other people here too," I finally answered. I prayed that I wasn't pulling my crew to an early grave. Lanster, bless him, didn't even hesitate as he whipped around and the dials before him flew like birds under his fingers. He reached for the intercom button.

"All crew to battle stations. All crew to battle stations. This is not a drill. Prepare for possible hostility. I repeat, all crew to their battle stations," Lanster summoned over the intercom. He repeated the message to be sure the lazy got off their asses. I patted the back of Lanster's chair before twirling on my toes to march into the CIC. The entire room was filled to the brim, with more gushing and ebbing like a tide, alarms were ringing overhead and a few flashing lights only heightened my fear. I had to navigate my way to the CR were the commanders were slowly gathering. Raisha made a low sound in her throat, almost a rumble, as I approached. I could only take it as concern or confusion.

"Responding to an old SOS signal. Just preparing in case it's a trap," I simplified for her. The krogan sighed heavily, her massive shoulders dropping slightly.

"Your compassion is admirable, Endellion. I pray that it is not what you fear that awaits us," she responded sagely. I felt my shoulder twitch, a mild twang of annoyance. I really didn't need her doubting my decisions... well that was her job to be fair. I rumbled slightly as I cast my eyes to the monitors above, waiting to drop out of FTL. I probably should go and hurl some armour on... why did I not do that before giving the go ahead. A wave if dizziness washed over me as we dropped out of FTL, studying the scene before us.

The radars were clear of ships aside from the main batarian ship and a few small escape pods. I breathed heavily. The thin, brick like ship looked like it had been ripped apart, the hull in several pieces with the largest part only containing the starboard side of the ship. Not a planet was in sight. The main ship was an utter wreck. Some of the escape pods weren't much better to be fair. Only about two were intact. The cylindrical pods reminded me to check our own escape pods. Had to make sure we didn't have a titanic happen on us. Nothing was firing at us, no ships were appearing into view... I stretched my hand out as the silence of the room tried to crush me to the floor. I pressed a hologram gently.

"This is Captain Shaik of the _RSS Starquake_, answering your SOS beacon. Any survivors, please activate your secondary beacons," I called over the radio. I waited with my shoulders wanting to squeeze my neck. Nothing. I frowned, concerned. I repeated my message, but once again all was still. I shuffled my weight. No survivors? "How many of the pods are intact?" I asked.

"This one counts approximately 3, captain," Mysinous responded angelically. I was so unused to hanar voices... "However, this one is afraid that one of them may be breeched,"

"We'll check it. Tag them and let's get them on the _Starquake_. Keep an eye out for any pirates," I added. The commotion began again, although the crew were moving from a battle stance to a rescue stance. Two krogan refused to leave the cannons though. Just in case, they claimed. I joined several people in the elevator. Our goal was the cargo hold.

Indira was already down here with the asari, warming their biotics up. We lacked the ability to use mechanical means of hauling things on board, so biotic power was all we had. I was glad Indira was on the ball with that one. The cargo door opened and the mass effect field took hold, keeping us in the ship and space outside the ship. I waited nervously as we approached our first pod. Indira was one of the stronger biotics, but even she struggled to haul the damn thing over. With care, the pod was dropped onto a rough cradle on the floor. It was Corin and Utren, the silver skinned, blue marked, amber eyed turian and the dusty brown crested krogan, who wrenched the door open. I coughed at the stench.

Fire had definitely taken the ship. I could smell the cinder, the pod was blackened from the smoke. Roasted remains were all that were inside this pod. I would have said they were burnt alive, not too dissimilar to an oven. A quick investigations was carried out, but we quickly sealed it up and hurled it back into space. We neared the second, however we could see a massive rupture near the engine. Mat'al zoomed in with binoculars, aiming for the small gap in the skin. He verified that those inside were already dead. We then came to the final pod, intact but after the first one, I didn't have any hope. Utren and Corin pulled the door open.

I was startled by yells and the sound of a metal door slamming, the clicking of guns being raised to eye level and the twang of a bullet smashing into the cargo hold roof.

It took me a heartbeat to assess the situation, another to realise I had my Carnifex in my hand. Everyone in the cargo hold had a gun aimed at the now shut escape pod. I was slow to do much else, too afraid that I would do something stupid in my startled state. I finally released the air in my lungs. I slowly approached the pod, Utren's broad shoulder slammed into the door. I slowly lowered my pistol, walking sideways slightly as I reached the escape pod. The pregnant silence felt like a lead weight on my shoulders.

"Bastard tried to shoot me," Utren hissed, the massive krogan growling like an earthquake. I sighed softly as the krogan wound himself up.

"They are probably frightened. Who knows what happened in two weeks," I tried to reason. Utren snarled slightly, although I was thankful it was directed at the one in the escape pod.

"P-Piss off y-you bloody aliens!" a small voice quaked. I stopped, turning the voice in my head while Utren roared beside me. Dammit, that krogan couldn't take an insult, could he? I smashed my head into Utren's face, swaying as spots flashed before me. It quietened the krogan though. I now had a pounding head to deal with on top of a guy with a gun.

Or should I say child.

It was a young male, his voice hadn't even broken yet so he couldn't be much more than very early teenage years. The accent was a soft New Zealand, not something I was used hearing. A human child? I nodded my head towards the crowd of guns. Corin moved instantly, taking my old spot in the ring of guns. Utren took his time, grumbling slightly. I really hoped he didn't cause problems... I took a slow breath as I gently knocked on the pod door. I heard a panicked shuffle inside.

"Hey there, son," I began. "You're alright, we're not going to hurt you. We're here to rescue you,"

"B-Bullshit. W-Where the fuck are you from anyway?" he demanded. Yep, definitely a child. I shook my shoulders out slightly. I hoped this wouldn't last too long.

"I'm from Scotland, Earth," I answered gently, hoping a soft tone of a woman would ease his fears. A few people lowered their guns, most likely recognising the sound of a child's voice. I heard a shaken snort.

"O-Oh yeah? S-So you're going to take me d-dancing around a bloody pole-" he started. I felt a smile flutter on the edge of my lips.

"No, that's England, darling. We Scots don't go dancing around no pole," I interrupted, dropping my accent to a more traditional highland accent. I doubt he would register a Glaswegian accent.

"O-Oh," he sounded a little embarrassed, taken aback. "W-Well you potato-eating-" he tried again.

"Ireland, lad. Closer to home, though. My mother was Irish," I was openly grinning. Ah, I did miss the stereotypes of the British Isles! He was quiet for a time.

"O-Oh! You're the skirt wearing, ginger freaks!" he cried out, triumphant.

"That's the one!" I cheered. And he was spot on about being ginger... guess I was a stereotype myself. "Galactic experts of haggis hunting, log throwing and male cross dressers!" Keep the caber tossing to log throwing, he'd know what that was. "So, are you going to let a skirt wearing, ginger freak walk into that pod and help you out? I can't imagine being stuck in there for two weeks is very pleasant. What's your name, son?" I asked in my broadest Scottish accent. The silence stretched. I kept the Carnifex limp at my side, just in case. After a minute or two, I had to raise my voice again. "Son?"

"...G-Gideon," the voice finally responded.

"I'm Endellion, or Dell. Can I come in?" I asked. The silence returned for a moment,

"Y-You won't... shoot me?" Gideon asked.

"No. Although I'll need to ask you to do the same, Gideon," I smiled a little. He wouldn't see it, but it was helping me keep my calm. The guns were slowly lowering, the crew relaxing slowly. I kept my focus on the tiny voice inside the escape pod.

"Ah... w-well..." there was a brief pause. "I-I guess you could..."

I nodded to some nearby members of the crew, taking deep breaths as they pulled open the door, opening me to the scene inside.


	10. Chapter 10

The escape pod stank of rot. That was my first thought when the pod was reopened. The cramped interior was smoke stained with a faint layer of blood and grime. I tried to keep my eyes to the back of the pod, but I couldn't help but notice the three corpses on the floor. I would have also said that they weren't exactly free from bite marks either. 2 weeks stuck inside a small tube with no food. I think even I would have sunk to that level.

Gideon, bless him, was a skinny looking thing, olive skinned mared by soot and filth. He stared at me, wide eyed, the green-blue orbs wrought with panic. His hair was matted with God knows what, it was difficult to say what his hair colour was. Just now it was a filthy looking grey colour. He looked like he hadn't eaten in weeks. The corpses spoke of a slightly different tale. I was careful to step over them, slowly edging my way closer to the human boy.

"Hey there, Gideon," I began soothingly. "How are you doing?" I stopped short when I saw him reach for the beat up pistol. I wasn't sure what model it was. I knelt down slowly, trying to keep my composure. He swallowed hard. "Where were you travelling on that ship?"

"I-I dunno," he began, the gun frighteningly still in his hands. "T-The batarians captured me like everyone else,"

"Why would the batarians capture you?" I frowned.

"Slaves, mostly," Val called from behind. I glanced over my shoulder. Gideon's body seized up. "Something about their hierarchy system or something. The more slaves you have, the higher ranked you are," I popped my jaw, anger shuddering my frame. "Well, to be fair, you almost fell into something similar on Illium-"

"I do not need to be reminded of Illium, thanks very much, Commander Autillin," I snapped. The turian grinned widely. He would _never_ let me live that down.

"W-What is he saying?" Gideon demanded hotly, desperately trying to hold the tough man appearance. I gave Gideon a sympathetic smile.

"You can't understand him?" I asked. He shook his head. "We'll get you a translator, then maybe you can tell me what the heck is going through his head. I sure don't," I frowned severely back at the turian. He laughed, although even I wasn't blind to the finger on the trigger. "That's Valérien, one of my commanders. He's a pain in the ass and was simply telling me why the batarians may have wanted you," Gideon swallowed. "Come on, lad, let's get you into a nicer smelling place, hmm? Some hot food, a hot shower, a soft bed, some clean clothes. I might even let you headbutt a krogan if you feeling brave," I added with a grin. Gideon shifted his gaze wildly, the gun finally twitching in his hand.

"N-No one will hurt me?" he pleaded softly, the feigned man now faltering back to a boy. I held my hand out, smiling as gently as possible.

"Anyone hurts you, I'll hurl them out the airlock," I promised.

Gideon sat there, curled up at the back of the escape pod. The smell alone was nearly dragging consciousness from me, I couldn't imagine staying here for two weeks. Gideon licked his lips nervously, bringing the gun up to his chest. His eyes scanned the crowd behind me, I wasn't sure if Alice or Henry, the only other humans, were behind me at all. Any human would be a welcome sight to a distraught child. I wanted to help this kid, bless him, he probably had only slightly more knowledge of the galaxy than I. Then again, it was impossible to know what without asking him. My arm was aching from holding it out for so long, but I couldn't drop it. I had to show him I was willing to help him. I had to! Gideon glanced at the pistol, shifting his gaze to mine. He was terrified, but he was also desperate.

I watched him free the clip from the pistol, expertly switching on the safety and shoved it down his waistband. He reluctantly reached out and grasped my hand. His grip was strong, fear driven. Slowly, I eased him to his feet, edged him towards the exit, towards the corpses. After a quick glance behind me, I stepped over the slight pile. Gideon hurried after me, not at all off-put by the rotting pile as I was. I sighed in relief when I coaxed him out of the pod completely. I turned to crew behind me.

"Seal this thing up, mark it as searched and hurl it back out. We don't have the facilities to deal with this sort of thing properly. I want someone to get a meal for this kid sorted out. If there is nothing else to be done here, get the _Starquake_ back on course. I'm taking Gideon to the showers. Also, a translator will be handy. I'll also need some spare clothes if anyone has some to spare,"

"Aye, aye, Captain," the cry sounded. I nodded as I guided Gideon towards the elevator, the boy trembling. I hoped he would calm down, it was difficult to say at this moment in time. I brought him to the crew deck, praying that the empty elevator would ease him slightly. It didn't. With everyone still on high alert, this deck would be empty for a while. Once on the floor, I turned around and strode to the back of the room. With great reluctance, I entered the male bathrooms behind the elevators.

It was reasonably small, but still had ample room for 5 krogans to stand shoulder to shoulder and not get annoyed with each other. I left the boy by the door of the barren room to get the shower going, wondering how long it would take to obtain spare clothing. I gave the boy a comforting smile and he quivered. I think the hot shower was tempting him though.

"Soap and shampoo are over here, grab whatever you like. I'll go about trying to find some clothes for you," I tossed two towels at him, just in case. He caught them, but his eyes bulged. "Give me a yell when you're done," I smiled as I left the room. He stared after me, but I think he was calming slightly.

Slightly.

"I was thinking pancakes-" I heard Indira say.

"Your pancakes are green... and are made from leaves," Alice frowned. "And taste like soil,"

"You humans. So picky!" Indira laughed. "It's just some extra fibre! You're always going on about it," I shook my head as I approached the kitchen, watching Indira bound slightly at the counter while poor Alice, our Asian human, was at the cooker.

"Commander," Alice began, voice strained. I interrupted.

"She's joking, Alice," I reassured, grinning at the drell. Indira stuck her tongue out.

"Spoil sport. I had her going!" she sulked a little. Alice stared between us, jaw slack. I laughed merrily as the drell bounced back and grinned. "And here I was getting ready to offer to make a triple chocolate curry!" I frowned at Indira, turning the idea in my head. A triple chocolate curry? Chicken with chocolate?

"That... huh. I'd probably try that, actually," I pondered. Indira's face ignited. I shuddered a little at it. I really shouldn't have said that aloud...

"I know exactly what to get you for your birthday!" she smirked, plotting like a conniving mastermind. All she needed was the twirled moustache. I couldn't help but burst out laughing at that image. Oh, I wanted her to dress up as some evil overload for Halloween. Indira looked confused, wondering if I had finally cracked and was sinking to her level. I waved a hand in her direction, deciding to ignore her pleading stare for answers by turning to Alice.

"Do you know if anyone has any spare clothes? Gideon's going to need some until I can get some on order," I asked. Alice shrugged lightly.

"We're scrapping something together. He'll be fine for a day or two," she responded. The soft spoken woman kept her gaze on the hob. Whatever she was cooking, it smelt good. A day or two. I hoped that was enough time to order something up for the kid and have it delivered before then. I sighed as I paced away from the kitchen, hand reaching for the datapad.

I spent the next hour hovering near the bathroom. I spent the majority of the time adding new orders for the _Starquake_; food, clothes and such like. The crew had begun to slowly fill the room, the danger now passed. I would have to speak with Mat'al and figure out how quickly everyone mobilised. Every second mattered in case we did come under attack. Henry, the dark skinned human male was thinly built but was a sweetheart, wandered over at some point. He dropped off a pile of spare clothes. I gave him a smile before he made a quick escape to the fridge. I rolled my eyes a little. Henry was almost glued to the fridge, the bloody body builder. Yes, it was evening now, technically, but geez, it was like 2 hours until most of the crew went to bed.

"Well, you look a little happier. You don't look like you'll murder a puppy," a male voice laughed. I glowered.

"I was wondering when we would have our next little chat. And you are still being a pain in the ass, Val," I grumbled. The turian chuckled as he took a chair opposite me, a turian beer in hand. "And I wouldn't murder a puppy," I added with seething growls. The turian just fluttered his brow plates and grinned widely.

"Well, you never know, you really were pissed a few days ago. Even I've been a little wary about tripping over you. And you know I go out of my way to annoy you," Val smirked. I rolled my eyes, shaking my head as I stared at the datapad in my hand. "But seriously," Val's tone dropped, forcing me to glance back up. "How are you feeling?" I blinked for a moment, taking in his clamped mandibles, the tautness of his plates. He was actually being serious for once… I began thinking my answer through, since it was such a serious question...

"Like I don't want to murder a puppy anymore," I responded. Val growled a little, scolding me with his frown. I laughed.

"Very funny," he grumbled.

"Yes, yes it is very funny. But in all seriousness," I stretched, dumping the datapad on the table. "I feel like I've just crawled out of a nightmare and tasting sunlight for the first time in years," I savoured the taste of my tea. Val smiled. Shoulders relaxing as he allowed tension to leak free. His eyes shifted to the bathrooms at the back of the ship.

"So, aside from babysitting, what are we going to do with the kid?" he asked solemnly. I heaved a heavy sigh.

"I'm not sure. I don't want to put the kid in danger, but if my experiences with trying to get something sorted out when you have nothing are to go by, I don't want him to be stranded on Earth..." I ran a hand down my face. "And we cannot go to the Citadel regardless. I certainly don't want to be arrested,"

"We can't keep the kid with us, he'll get in the way or get hurt or something. This isn't something for little kids, regardless of how stubborn you humans are," he dug subtly. I scowled at him.

"You'll thank this stubbornness one day," I muttered. Val smirked.

"Wanna bet?" he drawled slowly. I frowned at him, trying to tease out the calculating stare in his eyes. "1000 credits that your stubbornness gets you seriously hurt or worse," I growled softly.

"Fine, 1000 credits my stubbornness saves someone's hide," I countered. The turian held out his hand, clicking his mandibles smugly. I took it, my expression haughty. "May the best alien win,"

"Oh, he will," Val answered cheerily. I nearly threw my mug at him. Goddam it! How did he get under my skin so easily?! I snorted grumpily as I snatched up the pile of clothes, launching myself to my feet to put some distance between us. I strode over to the bathroom door, knocking gently as I was trying to put my calm face back on.

"Gideon? You alright, lad?" I asked. Nothing. I frowned. Was he alright? "Gideon?" I called louder. I touched the hologram, typing in my captain's code. The door popped open. I took a cautious glance around the room, peering through the haze. "Gide-" I began, stopping dead once I saw his form. I let that tense breath in my lungs escape. The boy was curled up on a bench, wrapped in towels. I heard his soft snoring from the door. I crept in slowly, carefully kneeling down beside him, reluctantly shaking him. I heard him moan softly. "Gideon, this isn't the most ideal place for a nap," I whispered.

"Mleh?" I heard him mumble, fluttering his eyes open. I shuffled the bundle of clothes in my arm, dreading his reaction. As I suspected, the boy, upon seeing me, froze solid. He began labouring slightly. I put the clothes down on the floor.

"These will be a bit too big for you, but it'll do for now. We have some food for you too before you fall asleep," I offered a smile, trying to keep my shoulders from tensing. Gideon swallowed hard, skin nearly snow white as he nodding stiffly. His wide eyes darted slightly. I decided to make a hasty escape. I pushed myself to my feet as slunk out the door while the boy watched me like a cornered rabbit. I sagged slightly once the door shut. Was that what I had been like when I first found myself here? Wild with fear? I ran a hand down my face slightly as I gathered myself. Just get the kid fed and into bed and worry about him when he wakes up.

Val was right, the kid couldn't stay here if we got neck deep in Reapers.

Gideon eventually shuffled out, the hanging clothes outlining how little muscle or fat the boy actually had. But with his hair clean, I was able to see a mess of unruly blond hair. He shuffled nervously at my side. His anxieties were forgotten, however, once I had him sit down with a plate before him. I could hear some of the distant coos from some crew members and he hurled the food as quickly as he could down his mouth. He was starving, the poor thing. The greeny-blue eyes were fixated on the food, tracking all who carried some. I reminded myself to teach him about dexto-amino acid. I did not need him in med bay in his condition. I'd let Saere at him once he had a nap. He may calm down after that.

To give the boy some privacy, I took him to the spare officer's room on the top floor. He didn't make it as far as the bed, apparently the sofa was comfy enough after sitting down on it. I decided to leave him, it was better to let him rest where he was than risk injuring or frightening him further by moving him. He didn't even give me a chance to introduce him to Marshal. Speaking of said drone, Mar bounded around my head, beeping madly as I entered my room. I frowned as he whirled around me, that beeping surely grinding on more than a few nerves. He hadn't done that before... I gave up and ended up grabbing the damn thing.

"Mar, what is it?" I grumbled, preventing the drone bounce. A small holographic screen appeared before him an icon blinking with a name afterwards. "A missed call? From Liara? Why didn't my omni-tool go off?" I scurried to my computer, dropping on the chair hard as my fingers reached for the hologram.

Why would Liara call me? I clucked my tongue, brows furrowed together as I began typing the re-call code. Had Liara found some more work for us? Had she heard some disturbing news? Did she need help? The thought of Illium put a sour taste in my mouth, my back tingling. I didn't exactly want to go back, but for a friend... Liara had been a huge help so far. I felt guilty that I hadn't been able to give anything back. Although, maybe this was her way of paying me back for helping her get some info from the Shadow Broker. I smacked my hands on my cheeks, wincing at the sting. Wake up, Dell! The call connected.

"Ah, there you are, Dell. Your drone answered last time. I assumed you were busy," Liara began, greeting me with a warm smile. That was something I sorely missed. I glowered at the perky drone for a moment.

"Mar answered? Dammit, sorry. Maybe Lanster forwarded to here for Mar since I've been otherwise preoccupied," I ran my hands under my hair, scratching he roots gently. Liara tilted her head to the side slightly. "Let's just say I'll be smelling 2-week old corpses for a while,"

"I can only assume you answered a distress beacon. No survivors?" Liara asked curiously.

"One. A young human boy. We think it was a bararian slave ship. How a human with no translator got onto it though..." I pondered.

"A Saboteur in the guise of a child to slip past your defences, perhaps?" Liara offered. Every hair stood on alert, my mind melting at the overload of fear tearing my skull to pieces. I hadn't thought of that. Fuck! We had just barely gotten over one Saboteur attack! This could have been another! Maybe that was why no one had answered it! The Reapers had been waiting for me to come around! Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!

"I want to shoot a Reaper up the ass," I answered blankly, trying to get my mind under control. It wasn't happening. This just wasn't happening. Gideon could be a Saboteur... No, no, no. Why would they use a child as a Saboteur?!

"You may well get your chance to, Dell," Liara responded. I snapped free from my bubble of terror, transfixed to the alien before me. "I've been doing some digging and I appear to have found a derelict Reaper,"

"A derelict... Liara, are you serious? Please, please for God's sake tell me you aren't pulling my leg," I don't know why I was begging. My nerves, frayed from the thought of Gideon being a Saboteur, rocketed alive at the thought of studying a Reaper. A dead one, probably, but a Reaper.

"I am not. It is located in the Hawking Eta cluster, within the Thorne System. You'll find it orbiting Mnemosyne, I don't have an awful lot of data for you, I'm afraid. I don't know how it is being held in orbit, I don't know what killed it either," she sighed, the air rushing out in a ragged, angry gush. "I'll see what I can drag up,"

I dragged my gaze to a galaxy map, trying to locate Hawking Eta. I had the bad feeling that it was on the other end of the galaxy. When I did find it, I couldn't believe my luck. We had been on our way to Ilos, in the Pangaea Expanse cluster. Hawking Eta was actually _closer_ than Ilos. And in almost the same bearing we were heading in. My body quaked, the nerves leaping until my muscles twitched. I returned my gaze to Liara slowly.

"Liara, I have no words. Thank you," I managed, my voice collapsing from the emotion. The asari was solemn.

"How quickly can you get there, Dell? Cerberus will be there soon enough," Liara asked, looking a touch nervous. I frowned.

"Cerberus?" I echoed.

"How quickly?" Liara pressed harshly. I flinched slightly.

"We were en route to Ilos. We can probably be there in about 2 weeks or less," I estimated. Liara slowly released her breath.

"I would not recommend hanging around. Cerberus are en route themselves. I dread to think what they will do to you if they found out you had Reaper tech inside you," Liara worried. I growled softly. Who the feck were Cerberus? I suppose I had plenty of time to ask while we travelled to Hawking Eta.

"We won't. Thanks, Liara. I'll pay you back one day," I grinned. Liara managed a short laugh.

"Let us call it even, hmm? Please, tell me what you find. Anything would be of great use in trying to defeat the Reapers when they come. However long that may take," Liara offered.

"Of course. You may need to come and pick up a copy of the data though, I don't trust data transfers. The STG has been infiltrated with Saboteurs," I warned. Liara's expression stiffened, turning blank.

"I see. Then they have been ruled out as potential allies then," the murmured.

"Until I shoot 'Captain Rolidin' up the ass, of course," I shrugged. Liara scowled.

"First you were ripping spines out, now you are shooting up the ass. What's next, strangling them with their intestines? ...By the Goddess, Dell," she rubbed her eyes when my expression brightened. What she didn't know, however, was I was doing this to wind her up. It seemed to be working. "I'll do some research into Rolidin for you. I'm already investigating Saria T'Spia,"

"Send me anything you find. I have a very, very personal bone to pick with her," I grumbled darkly. I was still having nightmares of her bloody rescue. I didn't like watching people die to try and keep my little 'murder' secret. I also didn't like being shoved into an escape pod and blasted into space before I had time to get to a harness. Liara raised a brow, but otherwise kept silent.

"I'll gather what I can. Good luck, Dell. I hope I am not sending you into a trap," Liara smiled, straining. I snorted.

"They can try. They are not getting their Advocacy while I breathe though," I answered firmly. "Stay safe, Liara. We'll talk soon,"

I prayed that I would speak to her again. I never knew what to expect with Reaper Tech.


	11. Chapter 11

_The Fact Sheet and Timeline have been updated for this chapter. Please see profile for the link._

* * *

"No,"

"Tough. I'm captain, I make the calls here," I retorted as I snapped my gauntlet secure on my arm. My new gauntlet, with elasticated clamps. God, it felt good! Val snarled, mandibles snapping together. The sound made my bones shudder.

"Forget it. You are not going inside that Reaper alone!" he growled.

"I concur. Who knows what waits for us inside," Mat'al added. I didn't even look up as the Carnifex and Locust snapped to my hips. My commanders were pinning me down in my room, all stares were disapproving and no one was letting up. I could understand why, now I just had to make them understand my point of view. I finally stopped fussing with my gear to turn to them. Their combined stares rattled me, sending me trembling as I gathered my confidence. It was a difficult battle, to put it mildly.

"I am a Saboteur. You are not. I have an immunity, or at least a partial immunity, to indoctrination. I have also been inside a Reaper, I know what to expect," I tried to explain calmly. I wasn't convincing anyone judging by the way their expressions remained frozen. "The very angles inside a Reaper drive you mad, you can barely think-"

"If the angles harm you then you clearly are not immune," Raisha added with a frown. I sighed in aggravation.

"If that is what a Reaper does to me, imagine what it'll do to you!" I snapped. "I am not losing anyone to a fucking corpse!"

"And we are not losing our Captain because she's being bullheaded!" Val countered. "We need you, Dell. How the hell are we going to do anything without you telling us what we need to do?"

"Simple, you have Saria T'Spia, you have Rodilin. Two Saboteurs-" I began.

"And then what? You honestly think they'll talk? That they will simply spill their deepest secrets to us?" Mat'al asked coldly. I leaned on my desk as my Commanders leapt on me. I took a minute to collect myself, trying to think of a sensible argument to keep my people safe. In the end, I surrendered to simple stubbornness.

"No more arguments. I've made up my mind and I am _not_ changing it," I rose my voice against the start of complaints being raised. "Dismissed!"

"Fuck you," Val snapped. "And you bloody 'Dismissed'. You are not going on that thing alone!" an aggravated sigh ripped my throat open as I stomped down the stairs, nearly shoving aside a few people. Val mostly. "You are going to get yourself killed! You have no idea what is inside that thing!" The commanders were hot on my heels. If anything, it was worse when them behind me. I feared my back was going to combust.

"Therefore, I want to minimise the casualties as much as possible," I growled. I took the engineer tunnels, much to Shayan's displeasure. I was not letting them corner me in an elevator where I can't escape.

"Then at least take a small team with you, two other members would be fine," Shayan tried to argue.

"Nope. Not happening," I sighed as I finally crawled out on the CIC. I could hear Val bursting a blood vessel behind me.

"You're fucking stupid," Val snapped. I shrugged loosely as I reached the CR, leaning on the chair. I ignored the stares I was receiving from the crew in the bustling CIC. They could hardly believe someone as snapping against me, especially with my history. I heard him sigh, measuring his next move "Dell, please," he tone turned pleading. I shut my eyes, trying to block out the sound of his voice. Fuck, he was playing the pleading card, I hate the pleading card! My heart strings were too feeble! "Endellion, spirits, when I saw you crawl out of that escape pod on Invictus, I thought for sure I was dreaming. Here she was, the girl who had helped keep me sane for spirits knows how many months before me, alive. I had thought you long gone once C-Sec got their hands on you. Dell. Please. I can't lose you again!"

And there went my heart, melting into a puddle of gloop.

"A compromise," I struggled to say, slowing turning to the face my commanders. The emotion cracked my voice. Goddam that turian! The expressions on the aliens' lightened, but still a stark stain cast over their eyes. "A team comes with me into the Reaper, but only into the start. Once we start to hit the core regions of the Reaper, I'll go alone. Close enough for help if something goes wrong, far enough away from the main indoctrinators to minimise damage. Good?"

"I suppose that is the best deal we will be able to wrangle from you, Endellion," Raisha answered, her tone still on the disapproving side. Val clicked his mandibles, frowning.

"Fine, but any – and I mean any – trouble, we come in regardless of what you say," Val pressed. I sighed as I nodded. It kept him happy as well as allowing me to try and minimise any brain damage the Reaper could cause. I suppose it was a win-win, despite the fact that I didn't want to get anyone hurt because of a goddam machine. God knows how much pain it had caused me. I took a quick skim over my commanders' expressions when a small frame caught my eye as it shuffled out from the labs.

"Gideon, I told you to stay on the crew deck," I scolded. The boy paused mid step, turning to stare at me. He didn't even look sheepish. "You know what happens to those who defy a captain's order?"

"I haven't seen you throw someone out the airlock yet. I thought Cops would have been first out," Gideon answered cockily. I levelled my stare, kept my expression blank and unamused. The boy shuffled a little. "Captain," he added hastily.

"The only reason Val hasn't been thrown out is because I know he's too stubborn to die. I know I'll wake up to have him glaring at me eventually," I glowered at the turian. Val just snapped his mandibles together smugly. "Asshole," I muttered quietly. The human boy didn't look that afraid, and despite all attempts he hardly looked like he was going to do as I told him.

Gideon had only improved in the couple weeks he had been with us. Trust me, I had never been so relieved to see anyone kick a krogan in the shins for keeping their dinner from them. His confidence had been exponential, very slow and sluggish to begin with but once it started it just took off. He had made a few friends with the crew, he was even beginning to create nicknames for everyone. The translator was a God send. Now able to understand that the aliens were mostly giving me grief than making fun of him, he started shadowing me around the _Starquake_. Then he started following Indira once the drell had finally gained enough trust to get more beyond a few words. Nothing some food, games, jokes and pranks could do to gain the interest of a child. God, he adored Indira. I would be in the CR, reading reports when Indira would bound across the room, the boy hot on her heels. His cockiness had originated from Val. With his confidence growing, I had asked Val to keep in check while I kept the _Starquake_ functioning. That had been my biggest mistake. As soon as he started watching Val being a pain in my side, he decided to try it. He had been a polite thing until that point. I partially wished I had nipped it in the bud. Part of me wanted to nurture it. I decided to balance it, if possible.

He had gained weight, bones no longer showing on his chest. He was actually on track to be a fairly tall boy, if we kept feeding him, but unless he started working out, I doubted he would ever be rid of that thin frame of his. And then there was the added bonus that he had decided he wanted to go through the teenage terror years a little early by trying all sorts of weird and wonderful hairstyles. Today, his golden mass was combed over one side with the area slightly above his ear cut short. Looked a bit weird, but hey, he would be the one to have to look back on these days and live with those memories. I still hadn't decided what to do with him. He got along with many members of the crew. Damn, I think even Shual was liking him more than he liked me!

"So I doubt you'll throw me out either," Gideon smirked roguishly. I rubbed my eyes as I pulled my head together.

"Gideon, I'm serious. Back to the crew deck," I ordered. Gideon looked a touch sullen.

"Why? It's just another merc mission, right?" he scrunched his face up. Mat'al spared him a grim expression.

"No. No it is not," he answered. Gideon opened his mouth. "The captain had told you to go to the crew deck. Now do so before I make you," he added. Gideon shifted his eyes between Mat'al and me nervously. He swallowed as he pulled his shoulders tightly together. I thought I saw him tremble.

Yeah, he hadn't escaped an air round or two. While I agreed the boy needed some discipline, especially on a merc ship like ours, I wasn't sure shooting him was a good way to go about it. Although to be fair, I did go through Mat'al like a ton of bricks for it. I think that was why Gideon always tried to be my best friend whenever he wasn't causing mischief.

"Dell?" he asked passively. I softened my gaze, kicking Mat'al in the knee. The salarian's stare would have frozen my blood.

"Please, Gid. Things are going to go wrong, I need to know you are safe," I told him gently. He managed a slight pout, although I dread to think how much was hidden with Mat'al so near.

"Fine, fine. I'll go-... What is _that_?" he openly gaped, slack jawed as his eyes were locked to the screens above us. I closed my eyes, shuddering intensely. I knew exactly what lay behind me. My throat felt tight, my arms going numb as I glanced over my shoulders.

We had arrived at the Reaper Corpse.

It had the same cuttlefish form as Sovereign, but it was a wreck. Some of the legs had been severed off by decay, pieces floated around it like an aura. How this thing had survived for so long without being discovered... how long ago had this Reaper died? Who had managed to kill it? When I eventually died, I would find out, no doubt. A cold chill slid slowly down my limbs. I tried to shake the pins and needles building up in my hands.

I really didn't want to go inside that thing.

"That's a Reaper, Gideon. Maybe now you know why I want you on the crew deck," I said bleakly. Gideon was hypnotised to the spot. I winced at his bug-eyed expression.

"Does it have a name? Like yours?" he asked curiously. I shrugged loosely.

"Most likely. I won't know it though, with any luck," I answered. "Crew deck. Now. I won't tell you again," Gideon frowned for a moment, taking my words in as he eyed up Mat'al. He swallowed hard before he slunk towards the elevator. I wasn't sure what Mat'al's expression had been, but I thanked him silently for it. I was staring helplessly at the remains of this Reaper. Some poor race had managed to kill one of these things... how many others were there in the universe? I was beginning to wonder if I would ever make it to my first year in this strange era, if this thing wasn't actually dead...

"Any readings from this thing?" I asked, my voice releasing a small quiver. I coughed loudly to clear my throat. Why was I so terrified?

"I am picking up a few power readings, very weak however. The whole thing is surrounded in a mass effect field. No wonder it has managed to stay in orbit. Not sure exactly what killed it, a massive hit though. Wonder if we could use the weapon that killed that thing..." Saldan pondered from his bank, the dark red and black salarian was pouring over data with interest.

I personally thought the science team were using the new servers for junk browsing or something. But those power readings sent tingles dancing over my skin. It was dead... right?

"The thing looks ancient, could have happened millions of years ago. I doubt the weapon is still functional," Mat'al commented. "I would still be interested in seeing what force was required to kill it,"

"Yeah. And we'd need to build a lot of them. Very quickly," I added in passing. I slowly ran my hands down my face. Calm down, Dell. One step at a time.

_"We've started to dock with the Reaper, it'll be a minute,"_ Lanster called from the intercom. I nodded before I realised he probably wasn't looking at me.

"Thanks, Lanster," I answered. I breathed slowly as I listened to the surges and ebbs of the engines as Lanster and the crew brought the ship in. The ship quivered as it touched the Reaper. Maybe even the _Starquake_ was terrified of this thing. "Alright, I'm taking a small crew in but we are not staying long. I don't know if this thing is dead or not. I'll take Corin, Utren, Belak, Sallis, Henry and Shayan inside. A nice varied group so we can gather as much as we can and get the fuck out of dodge. Suit up people! I want out of here as quickly as possible!" I cried. I ignored the 'yes captain' responses as several people sprinted to change.

"You're taking Shayan and not me?" Val snapped. I whipped around to face him, confused.

"Yes, I am. Problem?" I asked slowly. Val snapped his mandibles together.

"You need someone who can actually fight to keep you all safe! What the hell do you hope to achieve by doing this?" Val countered. I could feel the eyes of the remaining crew around us. I squared my shoulders.

"I've made my decision," I pressed firmly. Val opened his mouth to complain. "Val, I can't take you on every mission I do. I don't need to be babied by you and I need someone to stay here and protect the ship," I frowned, trying to keep a lid on my temper.

"Dell, spirits, you haven't even led a combat team before. And in a situation like this you need someone with a level he-" he began.

"Actually, Val," I interrupted, hissing through my teeth. "I have led a combat team before. On the Citadel, I led Shayan and the other quarians, I helped the C-Sec during the Geth attack and I've led at least one merc mission while you were off on another. Yes Val, I have led a fucking combat team before! And are you claiming I cannot keep my fucking head in a combat situation? Let's see how you handle Mat'al's training!" I roared.

Val opened his mouth to argue once more, his own head lost in the argument. I think that was the moment I had simply had enough. It wasn't the first time he had questioned my decision. Despite being one the people who put me in charge. I simply raised my hand to my shoulders and snapped off the small pegs that held my captain stripes. I offered them to Val, my expression stolid. A pin drop would have sounded like gunfire. Val closed his mouth, gawking at the offered stripes.

"Dell?" Val questioned, suddenly very wary. He flicked his gaze between my eyes and the pegs, mandibles flared slightly.

"Go on. You seem to think you'll be a better captain than me. I wouldn't be surprised, I told you a thousand times before I was a shit leader. And you keep questioning every single little thing I do so obviously friendship isn't enough for you to trust me. Go on, I insist," I said joylessly. The turian was a frozen statue before me, refusing to take the captain stripes.

I finally narrowed my eyes, frowning severely as I threw the stripes over my shoulders as the rage finally took hold, bubbling my blood. I didn't say anything, I was too angry for words. I simply walked away, striding off towards the stairs and the airlock. I was in absolutely no mood to deal with Valérien's blatant authority problem with a Reaper, even a dead one, this close to me. I left the frozen room behind me as I marched down the hall to the airlock. I slammed my hand on the door, waiting for it to equalise as I pulled my helmet on. There was only so much I could take, even from Val. I had expected playful banter and friendly orientated insulting jokes. Instead all I got was grief, insubordination and inaccurate recaps of my experience. I wondered if this was why he hated the army so much, because his leaders got tired of his shit and any attempt to control him only made him worse.

The airlock popped open then, opening me to the Reaper. The mass effect field kept the air at least somewhat breathable, but I was still keeping my helmet on for a while at least. I stomped into the Reaper, blood boiling at Val and his public display of defiance. He trusted me to lead a crew and defend me while I was absent, but as soon as I was in person and giving orders it was like I was the living devil. And screaming at me outside of a private space? They crew did not need to see us fight, not at all.

The Reaper was in remarkable condition inside. Most of the machinery was probably still usable after you took several million years' worth of space dirt off the surface. A headache bloomed slowly as the angles contorted my sight, twisting me into a wall more than once. I had to watch myself when the Reaper opened out with massive pits down either side of the walkways. I kept a hand on the railing as I pushed through. I slid between partially open door gaps as I mindlessly weaved around this machine. I didn't even know what I was looking for. Was I looking for a computer bank? A random data disc? The helmet was nearly claustrophobic, or was that the angles doing that to me? I finally yanked it off, barely worried about asphyxiation. I stared down the corridors, the large rooms and massive drops sending me into a cold sweat.

I froze, my muscles tingling as a shudder quaked my spine. My vision swam for a moment, the corridor hazing slightly. Déjà vu. I had been here before. I scrubbed a hand down my face. Had I? Or was it Sovereign I was being reminded of? I took slow steps forward, aiming for a small door down a narrowed corridor. I paused before it, there was no obvious way to open it from here. What was in there? How deep in the Reaper was I? Why did my head hurt so much? Were my legs numbing? I wasn't sure any more. I mindlessly tore a panel off the wall, digging around the old wires. I really wanted to get in that room. Why? Ah, who cares? Probably something important.

I pulled out a strange looking object from the wall. The slightly rusted plate had some traces of moss growing on it, I think, with a strange tower poking out of the sheet. I frowned at it, it reminded me of a submarine. I turned it in my hands before I dumped it on a nearby computer console. I couldn't think about what it could be. Diving back into the wall, I somehow managed to cross two wires together to unlock the door. I frowned. I wasn't sure how that happened... Must've been good luck. I rubbed my head as I strode into the room, wondering what awaited me here.

I stared at the massive room, the floor dropping to a lower level on either side of me. But it was what lay before me that held me. A massive machine, held up by cables thicker than my krogan crew standing shoulder to shoulder. It had a strange shape, almost like a cuttlefish but not. It wasn't a Reaper shape, the front reminded me too much of the Geth as strange as that sounded. What had this been shaped after? What species had this core been modelled from...

Where had _that_ thought come from?!

I quivered. Nothing made sense, my thoughts were rambles, some weren't even my own. I knew what this was, I knew but I didn't know why. The Reaper core. It was almost like Sovereign's, thinking back, although that one had had a long face with a three pronged crest towering above its compound eyes. I didn't have a chance to really study the structure of that core, I was too busy trying not to piss off two Reapers. How did I get to the core already? Where was my crew? I had... I had taken them with me... right? I twirled behind me, seeing nothing but empty corridors. No, no, no, no, no. No, I wasn't that stupid. I had been so scared, so cautious. Why had I... Anger. I had been angry. Why? Why had I been angry?

What was wrong with me!?

"Hello? Anyone? S-Seriously guys, this isn't funny! Oi!" I cried, listening to my voice bounce off the walls. My breaths came to me in short rasps, the room was swirling slowly, every tiny noise shattered me, sending me shying in terror. I heard a loud grinding sound behind me. I was too horrified to look. A blue light bounced onto the wall before me, down the darkened corridors. I think the core had opened... I couldn't turn around.

_"Cycle. The Cycle continue. Continue. Cleanse the galaxy. Stubborn Sarynians. Advocacy, the Citadel. Decimate all within. Keepers will collect them, Collectors need refreshed, new must be created. Cycle must continue. Advocacy, you are commanded. Go!"_

A monotone voice, broken and ragged. Almost delirious, somewhat male. My head was gone from me, I swayed, trying to breath. The white spots before me were growing, my muscles twitched wildly, I couldn't move. I couldn't see. I couldn't smell. The light burned brighter behind me, the pain. So much pain!

_"Palalrian is the Enforcer of this cycle, Cassianus,"_ Nyryntha said. I begged for air. Help. Help me! I can't move! Why was I alone? I couldn't... I couldn't- _"Rest. The cycle continues,"_

_"Nyryntha. The Citadel stands. Take back that is ours!"_ the male Reaper screeched madly.

_"Then aid me. My Shell resists,"_ Nyryntha appealed.

_"Resisting... trigger. What is the trigger? Pride, valour, jealousy, generosity?"_ Cassianus cackled almost.

_"Fear,"_ Nyryntha said simply.

I heard the mad laughter grow, a quite rumble weaving into a mindless howl. The light from behind me only grew. It would have blinded me had I been looking at it. I saw hands, veined in blue, slowly reaching up from the depths below. They weren't human. They weren't turian. They weren't any alien I had seen before. White clouded my vision, pain seized me like a stranglehold. I screamed, I screeched. I spoke in tongues long dead, I radiated robotic tones of fear. My hands in my hair, tearing clumps out by the handful, wires erupted from under my skin, dancing in the air around me. I tore out the room, my mind filled with robotic screeches of contempt. Of authority. Of rage.

Of madness.


	12. Chapter 12

There was outright panic throughout the crew and ship. Through my com-link, all I could hear the rampant roars from those still on the _Starquake_. I frantically plugged data into the computer by a door, trying to bypass a 15-key encryption code with Endellion's screams drowning every sane thought over the radio. We had ran out onto the Reaper after her, after she had stormed away from Val. But every door she walked through sealed as soon as she crossed the threshold. I didn't think she knew, maybe she still didn't know despite running mindlessly through the corridors. The door finally popped open, the team rushing through to try and get deeper into the Reaper.

_"The Reaper's not dead! It's not dead! Shut up! Leave me alone! SHUT UP!"_ Dell screamed over the radio. We ran down vast rooms, mist seemed to have collected around us, masking the roof and floor from us. My head ached a little bit, not enough to put me off though. We were halted by another door.

"Shayan, come on!" Corin hissed softly. I quaked under the demand. The encryption was unlike anything I had seen before and while I desperately wanted to study it further, to crack it completely, we had to rescue Dell first. And as the sole engineer here just now, I was the only person with any experience in cracking encryptions. I slammed on the console once the door opened, shutting the machine down. Concentrate on rescuing Dell. I had to. I couldn't screw this up! Not when the whole team thought to little of me already.

I could physically hear her now, her pelting screams echoing down the halls like haunting screeches. It sounded like wind through a rusted air vent, ragged and irregular. The doors though. These things were being a right pain in the ass. The team waited impatiently while I fought with the computer bank, trying to bypass everything that was preventing us from moving onwards. I was becoming faster at cracking these codes, but with Dell running rampant it was difficult to know if each door we ran across every 15 steps was blockading us further.

I was terrified, my whole frame quivering I was amazed I was able to keep my hand steady. This was our first fight with a Reaper. I had always imagined our first fight would involve guns, big guns, and an entire army at our backs. Not this. Not one engineer trying to out-smart a Reaper's code to press deeper into its core.

The door finally caved, but I heard screams of surprise and they were not human. I managed to look up before watching this mass of husks swarming our way, my small combat team backing up in horror. I had seen human husks, certainly, but these were not like any alien I had seen before. They ran on four legs, almost like rachni, with a raised torso and a strange, skeletal fan crest on their round faces. They screeched as they charged at us. Gunfire deafened me. I snatched my Indra free from my back, but I was shaking so badly that I could barely aim. I swallowed hard as I tried to hold the gun steady. I was a sniper, a sniper didn't have to be on the front lines!

I was blessed that no one really needed my help, the husks dropped like insects to the guns before them. I nearly hugged my Indra in relief. Let them do the fighting, you just fight the Reaper. Keelah, why was I fighting the Reaper? Why did I have to worry about this sort of stuff!? I raced to a nearby console near an apparently bottomless abyss, trying to see if there was a master control for these doors. The encryption was different this time, like the Reaper was toying with me or luring me into a false sense of security or victory. I chewed my lip nervously. So much pressure rested on my shoulders, the aliens surrounded me, guns pointed outwards.

"This isn't the time for playing around, Shayan. Open the bloody door!" Belak snapped. The team grunted around me while the husks smashed against the metal, creating echoing ghosts. Some crawled up from the depths to charge them, shattering any sense of quiet.

"I'm trying to find a Master Controller," I explained while I tried to crack the encryption. "T-That way we won't be fighting every door we find,"

"Hurry up, quarian," Utren growled. I shuddered at the krogan's words. I was a coward, yes. But I think being a coward of a krogan was well founded. I hoped. Dell's screams faded as she ran blindly down more corridors. I didn't want to turn my com-link back on.

Then another wave of strange husks streamed through the cracks inside the Reaper, crawling up the massive pits on either side of us. I concentrated on the code, it was the only thing I was actually any good at. These doors had to give eventually, we had to rescue our captain. Everything would be lost if something happened to her! I nearly screamed when a husk crawled up behind the console. It was Corin who dragged the thing away from me, hauling it over his shoulder as he fought off six limbs. I swallowed, shivering, trembling as I returned my attention to the console. I was barely seeing straight as my fingers began typing.

I stared as the encryption was completely different to what it had been before.

"It's changed! This Reaper keeps changing its encryption codes!" I squeaked. How could it change them so quickly? I had only looked away for a moment!

"What the hell do we do then?" Sallis demanded.

"I... I need to stay here. I can get the doors here but I am fighting this Reaper. It has a massive processor and is hyper-intelligent. I need to try and trick it so I can get the doors open. We just need to get the captain out of here!" I hated to say. I couldn't imagine what their expressions were, I couldn't even look away from the console for a moment without fear of the Reaper changing everything again. The aliens around me grit their teeth as the pushed this wave of husks away, more than a few sustaining injuries.

"Fine, Corin, Utren, go on ahead and get Dell. We'll stay and guard Sherlocks here," Henry told them. I trembled, a sour taste in my throat. I would have to ask Dell what a 'Sherlocks' was. The turian and krogan were more than happy to abandon me to Henry, Belak and Sallis. I swallowed hard as my fingers danced over the console, trying desperately to outsmart or fool this machine.

It was an uphill battle. I managed to hack some camera feeds so I could estimate what doors to clear for Corin and Utren were possible – and I was becoming exceedingly good at predicting the Reaper's counter measures – but there were times they had to bunker down until I got that lock sorted. The Reaper was planning ahead, it knew its body better than me. It would contort the cameras, more than once I saw something not on the ship, more like something out of a horror film. Once or twice, the rescue team managed to catch a glimpse of Dell but she always sprinted ahead, deafened by her own screams. Then we had the husks attacking our small group. More than I would like to admit, I was dragged back as a husk crawled up behind the terminal.

Then I think the running had taken its toll on her, the fighting weakening her and possibly the Reaper she was battling. Through the radio, I heard her tell Nyryntha to piss off, but her tone was warping from one of fear to one of anger as she managed to rein herself in. Unfortunately for her, while she danced in a single location as she fought control against her own private machine, the husks were closing in.

_"I- I win, Reaper! Now fuck. Off!"_ I heard Dell snarl. I heard her breath, ragged gasps of air forced to her lungs before she collapsed, limp on the floor. The doors suddenly freed themselves, as if the Reaper had conceded defeat. I breathed a sigh of relief when confirmation from Utren and Corin came through. They finally got to her. They were busy hauling the husks off her as we started planning the next stage. Our hasty escape. We waited with impatience while Utren and Corin made their way back to us with the unconscious Dell. We had to wait until they were with us, when numbers could keep her safe from being swarmed.

The latest swarm of husks seemed to be on a suicide run, their master quiet. They tore down the corridors, screeching madly. Some were crawling up the walls, clawing their way via the overhanging beams and cables to reach us. Some were stained red and, as we later found out, exploded if they got near. Belak and I tried to push them back, but I couldn't keep my aim steady. I quivered uselessly as I shot wildly, my eyes flying over the room as I constantly panicked about where the next husk would leap from. I aimed at a nearby husk, screaming as it rushed towards me like an angry insect. My bullet missed, soaring past the creature's torso.

And hit Corin in the shoulder as he ran out from the doorway.

He yelled out in surprise as my weak sniper bullet yanked his shoulder back, only spared from dropping Dell down the nearest pit by crashing into Utren's massive frame, stopping him short. I felt numb as I stared, Corin struggling to keep Dell in his arms while Utren aimed his assault rifle at the threat. I think the only thing that stopped Utren pulling the trigger was seeing me trembling with my Indra nearly falling out my arms. Dell was limp in Corin's arm, strange wires and cables radiating from under her skin, dangling limp like her limbs. I swore I saw some circuitry at the corner of her eyes, a faint blue glow slowly dying to black.

So focused was I on the injury I had probably caused to Corin that I had completely forgotten about the husk that was charging me. I helplessly screamed as it took me to the ground, mauling at me with its multiple limbs. I screeched, flailed wildly, trying desperately to free myself from its grip. Information piled before my mask from my suit, indicating ruptures and damages. Oh no... oh keelah. My immune system was weaker than most, I had always been so careful! I had even hardened my suit to prevent as many ruptures as possible! I was going to die. Oh keelah se'lai!

I cried out when the husk fell limp beside me, rough hands grabbing me and dragging me across the floor. I looked up in time to see Belak hauling my sorry ass back, back towards the _Starquake_. Corin gave me a cold look as we retreated, abandoning the Reaper behind us. I closed my eyes as I struggled to find my feet, reluctantly cuddled in the group of aliens.

I never wanted to go on another field excursion again.

* * *

Endellion had warned us that it would not go smoothly. But I doubted even she knew the true extent of the damages, I slowly wandered down the hall of the Officer's floor, waiting to choose my time. Three days had passed since the incident in the Reaper. Once the ground crew had extracted Endellion, the _Starquake_ had pulled away to a safe distance to assess the situation. We had returned several hours later to collect some data from the nearby terminals but we dare not risk anything. Husks were still rampant within the shell that was the Reaper. We were now floating in a rarely traversed party of space, orbiting an unimportant star several systems away in the middle of the nowhere until we had recovered. Endellion had warned us that Cerberus was arriving on the site. While she seemed oblivious to the threat, we took no such chances. We left as soon as we felt like we had some viable data.

Endellion had regained consciousness yesterday, but she wasn't herself. She was quiet, any attempt to walk was met with pain and reluctance. She was having difficulty eating. Small wounds dotted her skin, from where Saere, Nakmor Ferilsa and Anthon Cerr had pulled cables and wires from her skin. She would also carry a small scar on her left shoulder blade when Anthon pried a piece of fresh Reaper metal plate off. Her body had not relented the Reaper pieces gently. I sighed softly as I slowly made my way up the stairs, moving towards Endellion's room where she was recovering. Saere had assured us she should make a full recovery, but we all still feared the worst until Endellion was back on her feet.

"So yeah, everyone is going on about really weird signals from your suit. Brain waves or something. And they're going crazy about those cables and stuff they got off you. So Sassy is busy with that," I heard Gideon's voice faintly as I entered the room. The boy had barely left her side. Like a chick clinging to its mother. While the boy's confidence had soared since he had come into our care, he was still very much in need of Endellion. Endellion had pulled him free from the horror that had been the escape pod, had given him nearly free roam of the ship, access to all the food he could dream of. Endellion must have been something heroic to him.

"Thanks, Gid. Can you tell Mat'al to report to me when they have preliminary data?" Endellion's tired voice sounded. She sounded frail, soft, like she was struggling to stay awake. I climbed the stairs conscientiously. I did not wish to interrupt the conversation. Gideon was sitting at the foot of her bed, cross legged. Endellion was sitting up, leaning against some cushions salvaged from her sofa. Her face looked drawn, her eyes baggy and her skin pale. Small black marks danced at the corner of her eyes. They were fading, but it was a painful reminder that the Reaper had come close to winning.

"Yeah, sure. Sassy is in the labs just now. I'll go tell him," Gideon said, chirpy, launching to his feet. He skidded to a halt just short of me. "O-Oh. Hi Ray," he flushed, putting his hands behind his back politely.

"Gideon," I greeted. "I shall not keep you from your errands," I hinted softly. Gideon jumped slightly. The boy was wary of me, that I understood. He was friendlier to me than to Mat'al, or 'Sassy' as he dubbed him. A shortened version of Assassin I believe. Mat'al terrified the child.

"O-Ok. Thank you, Ray," he cleared his throat nervously before walking around me, he made a near run to the door.

"Cassianus," Endellion called. Gideon paused long enough to stare back. "The Reaper's name is Cassianus," the boy pondered the name for a moment, choosing his words carefully.

"Heh, you said anus," he grinned widely. Endellion managed a snort of laughter while the boy darted out the door. I strode over to Endellion's side carefully, watching her as she glanced to a nearby window.

"Bless him," she smiled faintly, a faint glow of colour returning to her.

"He is certainly a character," I agreed as I lowered myself to the edge of her bed, "But he is indeed correct about the suit data. The science team is swarming all over the data and the Reaper parts we extracted from you while the intel teams crack the encryption codes on the Reaper data we collected while you were recovering. Shayan is also on mend. The pneumonia has finally given in,"

"The data is on the isolated server? Will Shayan be up soon?" Endellion asked, her tone far away. I nodded.

"Yes. The science team is taking no chances with this data. We do not wish to destroy these new servers after all the trouble we have traversed to be where we are. Shayan will be on his feet soon enough, give him time," I answered gently. Endellion needed every piece of good news that she could get her hands on right now. Her gaze diverted from mine, lost in the stars once more.

"I'm such an idiot," she sighed. "It all makes so much sense now. Val said my stubbornness would get me killed. It's more likely my ignorance will do it," Dell held her face with a hand. "It makes so much sense. Hindsight. I hate it so much,"

"I am afraid I do not understand, Endellion," I answered slowly, wondering what could bother her so much.

"My programming. I've heard so many times from Nyryntha, Saren and Nazara... Sovereign," she shook her head after the correction. "They had said I needed reprogrammed so many times, had tried to just that before I ran on Virmire. And now it makes so much sense. Why had I been such a coward? Why had I been so skittish when I first came here? Why could I never stiffen my spine and stand up for myself? I had been programmed to be afraid, to be scared. The Reaper tech, the mass effect and fusion generators, ran off my terror. I wonder how close they had gotten to controlling me before I met Val, Mat'al, yourself. Nyryntha gained control of me because I was terrified, she can only try to control me if I am afraid," Endellion held her chin in her hand, eyes lost to the galaxy. I took her words in, pondered on them.

"What was your personality like on Earth? Before you came to be here?" I asked gently. Perhaps we could gauge the level of modification Endellion had received during her 'Saboteur creation'. Endellion blinked blankly at the duvet around her.

"I wasn't that much different," she admitted. "I had always been skittish, quiet. I never wanted trouble and did everything to avoid it. I had my short outbursts every now and then but overall," she surrendered a small, emotionless smile. "Nothing that made me say 'Huh, do I normally do that?' ...given the circumstances,"

"Then perhaps Saboteurs are programmed by their most dominant emotions. Perhaps that is why you have survived so long, because you are no longer quiet and afraid-" I began. Endellion cried a sarcastic laugh. I paused my words to listen.

"No longer quiet and afraid. No, Raisha," she raised her stare to mine, expression blank. "I am now loud and afraid. How can I not be? I have nearly 50 people depending on me. What if I fuck up? What if someone turns on me? What if the Reapers plant a Saboteur within the team and I don't notice?" she shuddered at the last thought. I frowned at the memories that surfaced. It had only been a day or so after Gideon had come into our care. Endellion had been desperate to do a Saboteur test, blindingly desperate.

And I could not fault her for it. Thankfully, the boy had passed the Saboteur eye-test. He was fully human from what we could tell.

"Endellion, I am not expecting you suddenly become a great war hero with an army at your back. Becoming a leader takes time. You will make mistakes, you will question your entire life, you will be afraid of the opinions of those around you. But you will grow. You can do nothing else," I parted my words to her. Endellion managed a weak smile.

"An army at my back... if the Reapers come, it may yet come to that. If I survive long enough to do that," Endellion rubbed her eyes with the heel of her hand. I tenderly patted her thigh, planning out my words.

"You will survive, Endellion. You are too bullheaded for death to deal with," I answered. Endellion coughed a laugh, giving me a more genuine smile.

"Jorgal Raisha cracking a joke? I think you've been around Val too much," she scowled softly, although she hardly meant it. I smiled, a touch of smugness I allowed to bloom lighting my face. I had managed to make her smile. She was on the road to recovery. Slowly but surely.

"Indeed, however I am cautious with repeating anything Valérien says to me. I knew his reputation. Speaking of which, Valérien has been eager to speak with you. Mat'al has put him off limits to you, however, after the last little... scuffle," I added solemnly. Endellion's expression dropped, becoming neutral of all emotion.

"I don't want to deal with Val yet. I'm still too pissed at him," she now glared out the window. "Puts me in command and then questions every little thing I do just because he doesn't like it... bastard," she hissed softly.

I kept my words to myself. I also reminded myself to sit Valérien down and have a stern word with the turian before he caused Endellion any further near misses. I doubted her ability to walk onto a Reaper she had been otherwise terrified of without a severe shove.


	13. Chapter 13

"I've never seen anything like it," Mat'al began, rubbing his chin as he stared at a screen before him. I hovered behind his shoulder, watching graphs wriggle like worms and data scroll lazily as the salarian tried to piece everything together.

I had finally plucked up the courage to test my legs. They quivered at times and it appeared to an outsider that I was walking with a limp, but that was general lack of use that was driving that particular feature. My little talk with Raisha had nudged me to press on, despite my stupidity. Fear. Fear was what the Reapers wanted, unless they reprogrammed me. Sitting in that bed, in the quiet, made me realise I had refused to leave the bed because I was afraid. I had been afraid of ridicule, of the crew staring at me with suspicious eyes. It was not a comforting thought. I couldn't be afraid. I couldn't present Nyryntha with another opportunity to wreak havoc on me or my crew. Even I hadn't failed to notice how eager the crew were to see to every tiny need. I was even waking up to find coffee on my desk. Since when did people dare enter my domain without a panicked examination of my expression? It would take time to calm them, I think. I hoped.

But right now, I had to focus on Mat'al. Gideon had done exactly as I had told him and had Mat'al prepare a report for me. Fortunately, I realised my mistake of staying in bed before Mat'al finished obtaining any concrete evidence. I dread to think of the lecture I would have received off of the salarian. I think Mat'al was relieved to have me up and around again, albeit on shaken legs. Leaning on the back of the chair, I ignored the hum of machine and organics around me. The labs were alive with activity, another sight I was awed to see. They were still in the final layout battles, but for the most part, most of the computer terminals were in the middle of the room, ringed around a holographic sphere with individual screens appearing on it. The teal coloured hologram managed to get a school girl squeal from me. It looked straight out of a sci-fi movie.

"The frequencies of the waves we are seeing are very similar to that found in ultrasonic and electromagnetic waves. And the effects on your brain... I'll keep it simple. These waves seem to be altering your normal internal brain waves, beta waves, a few delta waves. Nothing hugely significant that would make you think 'There's something in my head''. It seems to be... stimulating certain parts of your mind," Mat'al explained as he took a quick sip of his tea. I made a soft sound of agreement in my throat.

"Headaches, hallucinations, anything to weaken your control over your own mind. Then the Reaper just swoops in, tugs a few strings and you do it," I shook my head, rubbing my eye. "Any ideas on how to stop it?"

"Not at the moment," Mat'al grumbled, sounding more annoyed than anything else. "While we can see the effects of these waves on your brain, when we replicated them for a salarian brain or a turian, nothing happened. We then replayed the signal in a human mind. The signal wasn't quite right, as if something was masking the true frequency of the waves... Dell, we need a direct source of the waves. Waves travelling through air. Your Reaper cannot help us with that. We need to find something that causes indoctrination externally,"

"I could try and indoctrinate someone," I remarked dryly. Mat'al snorted, the idea amusing him.

"Maybe make Shayan straighten his spine-" he began.

"Oi!" I snapped. Mat'al raised a cool eyebrow in my direction. He didn't look amused. I pushed myself off the chair, giving him a stern look. "Shayan is not a fighter. Remember when you first met me?"

"Then find me some geth and I'll take him through the crash course as well," Mat'al smiled, although I shuddered at it.

"No thank you," I cleared my throat. "He's barely out of the medical bay. I don't want him punted back inside," Mat'al simply returned his stare back to monitor before him.

"So what is our next goal then?" Mat'al asked. "Once the data is analysed, we will need to collect more and perhaps start some prototypes to combat indoctrination. Maybe even find a way to identify Saboteurs, if you do no mind becoming a guinea-pig,"

"Sure, if Nyryntha doesn't kill me, something else will. May as well use me while you can," I joked darkly. Mat'al chuckled softly. I thought he might like that one.

"Indeed. That won't happen until we have some other information to work with," he gave me a slight frown as he looked over his shoulder at me. "I take it you still are not speaking to Val," he made it a statement.

"Was it that obvious?" I asked dryly.

"Oh no, I haven't noticed a sulking turian practically glued your shadow and stalking you every other time," Mat'al grinned, his dark eyes sparkling.

"You know, it's quite creepy when you stay it like that," I scowled. Mat'al smirked. I could feel Val's eyes on my back. I wasn't sure where he was hovering, but I knew he was here. Somehow, he seemed convinced stalking me would make things better. Or maybe he was waiting for an opportunity to actually get me to say more than two words to him. I wasn't sure. I was determined, however, to make sure he knew exactly what I felt. It was like a sticky film had covered my skin, sending sour shudders down my spine and unsettling my stomach. My chest would tighten whenever I thought back to how he outright challenged me, despite standing by me during times of uncertainty.

I felt betrayed and two-timed.

"I'll leave you to work, Mat'al. Let me know if you find anything else," I patted the back of the salarian's chair. Mat'al didn't even spare me a look.

"Of course," he answered simply, distracted. I shook my head as I left him. Leave him to his musing, I decided. I strolled over towards the door, finally spotting Val's hiding place by a console near Jacques, the dark turian had off-white markings and pale green eyes. The pair were speaking quietly, although Val was looking over his shoulder too much to be paying much attention. I ignored him, deciding to continue on my way and head down to engineering.

It wasn't a deck I visited frequently. It was always a trip hazard for those who did not come here often – or in my case, just plain clumsy – and the maze of computer banks had turned me around more than once. Leaving the elevator, I was greeted with an enclosed room, much like the war room in the labs. I saw a few engineers enjoying a coffee break on the table, some screens high on the wall with numbers and graphs floating on them. Lockers, chests, tables and computers hugged the walls. It was the 'small part' holding area, apparently. I didn't see Shayan there, so I walked around the side of the room, careful where I put my feet. I was going to have to tell them to keep this place tidy.

A glass wall greeted me, with a brilliant blue light pouring out from a small corridor at the back of the room on the other side. The round ball that was our drive core had small loops of light radiating from it. It reminded me of a sun, really. That side of the engineering deck was worse than out here. Computer banks lined the far wall on either side of the corridor leading to the drive core. Large storage units containing pipes and larger pieces of repair gear were on the remaining two walls. I spotted Shayan by a computer near the corridor, obviously running some kind of diagnostic or something. Either that or he was playing minesweeper. Why did I introduce him to that game again?

"Shayan," I called, cursing as I tripped over a wire or something. The quarian jumped, almost trembled before scrambling over to save me from falling on my face. "Ok, Captain's orders. I want this deck tidy. I do not need a concussion on top of every other problem I have to deal with,"

"But it is... " Shayan began until he noticed my stare. He flushed a little. "Yes Captain," I rolled my eyes, turning my gaze to quarian as he shifted his weight constantly.

"Right. I came down here to see how you were doing. I was relieved to hear you were back on your feet," I opened. Shayan shuffled, seemed to swallow hard as he glanced around the room. Almost as if he was looking for a distraction.

"I-I'm alright, thank you," Shayan answered simply. I frowned softly. This was…certainly, Shayan was a quiet, skittish thing but even this level of disquiet was unusual. I still had no idea what had happened to make him this way…had someone said something to him? I swear to God... I would need to ask for the full report. Shayan had refused to tell me himself what had happened.

"Are you sure, I'm just getting a bit worried about you..." I tried again. The quarians seemed to smile but otherwise kept to himself. I leaned back slightly, trying to hold back on the annoyance over his silence.

"Really, I'm fine, Captain. Um... h-how is Corin, if I can ask," Shayan shuffled, rubbing his arm. I studied the quarian, tried to pick up what had happened. If only I was so terrible at reading people!

"He's doing fine, last I checked. Why?" I asked slowly. Shayan sagged his shoulders for a moment before he realised what he had done. He managed to shrug.

"J-Just asking. I-I heard he got a bit hurt. A-Anyway, sorry, Captain. I-I really need to finish checking the engine stability," Shayan cleared his throat. "I-I'll get the deck cleared," he promised. I nodded, trying to mask my concern with a smile. Something was definitely bothering him but hell if I could figure it out.

"No worries, Shayan. I'll see you soon. Try to relax, big guy. You're worrying me a little with how jumpy you've been lately," I tried not to make that a threatening promise, but I didn't like my team acting strange. Shayan was definitely more edgy than normal. Maybe taking him on a field crew wasn't such a brilliant idea. Shayan seemed to smile as I turned to leave the deck.

I decided to escape to my room, the only place Val couldn't enter without spying on me. Even as I left the deck, I could feel his eyes on me. It actually was pretty creepy. Damn it, Mat'al! Yes, Val, I get you are feeling guilty but Christ! I rubbed my nose as I leaned against the elevator wall, collecting myself. I had one commander who was following me like a lost puppy and another who was panicky to the point of a heart attack at any moment. I really hated Reapers. Really hated them.

My room was a welcome sight. I eagerly scrambled inside and locked the door, securing it from any curious peeks. I also kept Mar on guard duty. Val sure wasn't getting in without getting a nasty shock. Mar would make sure of that. I slumped on the sofa, my eyes captured and then lost in the stars. I wasn't stressed per say... alright, I was stressed but only because I nearly got myself killed by a Reaper. That was bound to put anyone on edge, right? I sighed as I flopped, sprawling over the sofa. Until we had some data, I wasn't sure where else to take my team. For now, I had Lanster refuel and let the _Starquake_ orbit some poor planet not even worthy of a name. Every now and then, I would catch a glimpse of the straggly rings that hugged the planet.

I dragged my datapad to me, staring blankly at it as I connected to the extranet. I began my daily trawl of digging around on the news sites. It was always important to keep up to date with major events in the universe. Anything could be a Saboteur at work for all I knew. I flicked through the links, nothing major was leaping out at me. Krogan complaining about another failed cure for the genophage, some activity with batarians and humans going at each others' throats again, an attempted assassination on a council member, some new Prothean ruins found on a newly explored world out in some random system I have never heard of, some poor salarian colony was being forced to abandon the project due to some plants altering their sex drives-

Whoa, whoa, whoa. I did a double take. Attempted assassination on a council member? I frowned, suspicious, as I opened the article. I quick skim through showed it was the turian councillor who had been targeted and that the newly promoted C-Sec commander Saria T'Spia was investigating the case and arranging security for the council... members...

Saria was trying to destroy the political structure from the top down. Or plant Saboteurs in their place. Or maybe she was trying to access the relay controls to activate the Citadel relay...

I dumped my datapad on the sofa, pressing my fingers to my lips, frowning severely as my mind wandered. The Saboteurs were at work constantly, I had to remember. While I farted around wondering what the hell to do, Saria had climbed so high in the C-Sec ranks it would be difficult to get a clear shot of her, or get her alone. The memory of the lines of indoctrinated C-Sec officers was more than enough to strike terror into me. What could I do? She was a threat to everything the galaxy needed for political stability.

I had to take her out.

I had to. I simply had to remove her from the universe. The council was too important for the galaxy to be fucked over and or replaced by Saboteurs. She was a danger to everyone. Anyone who would stand in her way, or change the plan she had in store, was expendable and would disappear with only the barest of whispers. The only thing worse is a Saboteur councillor... unless one existed already. Good God, don't even go there. I shook my head. As much as I hated the thought – and the possible consequences – I suppose I had to prepare for every eventuality. A Saboteur councillor would be pretty high up in my fear list.

"Ow, piss off, Marshal!" I heard a voice growl. I glared, frustration mounting. And just to add to my problems... "Ow! Stop it, Mar. Spirits sake!" I heard Mar beep angrily, the manic beeps like drills in my skull. I held my head in agony, wincing at each beep as it drowned out every sane thought. Now I had two headaches!

"Val, piss off! I swear to God!" I snapped.

"Dell, c'mon just give me- ow! Marshal! Dell, a minute, please!" Val pleaded. I glared at him as he struggled to get around the annoyed droid. "What do I have to do to get you to listen to me? Please!"

I glowered, a bitter taste creeping up the back of my throat. What did he have to do? An apology simply wouldn't cut it. Would it even be a good step in the right direction? I doubted it. I had simply had enough of him getting his pants in a twist every time I did something without him, or gave an order he didn't like. I doubted there was anything he could do that would make me forgive him easily. My eyes drifted away from the swearing turian and the pissed-off drone, to the datapad lying abandoned beside me. There wasn't a damn thing he could do...

Although...

"Mar, let him past," I called. Mar beeped, immediately floating to my side. I heard Val sigh in alleviation before he negotiated his way towards me. I leaned back on the couch, keeping my gaze level. I wasn't going to give him any quarter. Not this time.

"Thanks, Dell. Look, I'm-" he began.

"So you want to make me listen to you? To forgive you?" I asked quietly. Val stared, considering my words. His expression was unreadable, calculating. He nodded slowly, ambivalent of where I was taking this. "Then here's how you can help. The Saboteurs are moving,"

"Moving?" he echoed. I clicked my tongue. I grinned smugly as he rolled his shoulders back, his copper cheeks staining a faint hue of purple. He snapped his mandibles shut. He waited silently.

"Yes, moving. Saria T'Spia has attempted to assassinate a councillor. We're going to put an end to her," I informed. Val frowned, mandibles clicking gently. "You want me to forgive you? Get me onto the Citadel," I ordered. Val paused, considering my words, determining his response.

"Saria is an asari, a biotic. I don't think you have the skills needed to take down a biotic on your own," he worded conscientiously. I rubbed one of the joints in my pinkie with my thumb.

"Val, I have to do this. One way or another, I have to do this. The Saboteurs cannot rip the council apart, nor be given the chance to force one of their own into the fray. By all means, squeeze as many of the team in as you can, I'll need the backup, but I have to get to Saria and I have to put a bullet in her brain," I said firmly. Val breathed heavily, swaying his weight as he struggled to find words that wouldn't shove me over the edge.

"Assuming a bullet to the brain works," he countered softly.

"I'll take my chances," I retorted.

We stared each other down then. The captain who wanted to get onto the very place she feared of getting caught in and the commander who wanted his ego rubbed but still keep his captain alive. I wondered who would win. Val had many reasons to do as I commanded, probably a hundred more against the whole thing. I drummed my fingers lightly over the back of the sofa, waiting. Val ran a hand down his face.

"We're going to need clothes, hidden holsters, maybe some hair dye and contacts for you. Mat'al or Indira would be better at the actual planning but... I'll convince them to go through with it. I'll get teams arranged, see if I can't get a spare ship to get us in and out of the Citadel, the _Starquake_ is pretty unmistakable. Especially if the STG have reported to the council. Have you got any contacts on the Citadel?" Val asked, his tone was sullen but at least he was inclined to carry through with it. I smiled a touch.

"I might have one. I'll see how willing he is to help me though," I informed. Val nodded stiffly.

"Fine. I'll talk to the others then," he ended, marching down the stairs and out of my room. I stared after him, my hand dropping to the datapad beside me. Saria T'Spia had a timer on her head and it was ticking down. Now I just had to get back in the sparing ring and practice until my knuckles turned black.


	14. Chapter 14

_"Please proceed to dock K31, _MSV Echo Empress_,"_ the controller informed. I swayed my weight nervously, releasing my breath slowly. The small ship we 'borrowed' navigated its way through the mass of other ships around the Citadel. I paced nervously around round the cockpit, anxiously waiting for this to operation to begin. Lanster guided the ship in, but from the grumbling, he wasn't happy about something. I couldn't imagine what though.

We managed to find this poor ship and its crew – or what remained of it – while jumping towards the Citadel. Mercenaries had decided they wanted to steal some of the cargo and kill any crew who resisted. Well, the mercs weren't happy to see us. We were absolutely ecstatic. The crew were so relieved to see us they were more than willing to help us get to the Citadel, especially with the _Starquake_ as an escort. Sadly, the piloting crew had been one of the first people to be taken out, thus I had to move Lanster from the _Starquake_ to the Echo Empress. Maybe that was why he was so upset, leaving Sershin in charge of the _Starquake_. Yeah, that made sense.

The _Starquake_ was safely hidden within the thick gas that surrounded the Citadel, emissions hidden and ready to scream in and pull us out should we need it. Ach, who am I kidding: when we need it. The _Starquake_ had just the absolute minimum needed to fly and maintain it in combat, 11 crew members with Gideon: Raisha, Sershin, Saere, Mysinous, Ferilsa, Arthan, Alice, Belak, Deolls, Sallis and Eshoria. Everyone else was here with me. I was relieved Gideon didn't even bother trying to fight me on coming. Either that or Mat'al had already had a stern talk with the rebellious 10 year old.

I shook my arms to hide the quiver shaking my knees once we were safely docked, finally plucking up the courage to show myself to the rest of the crew. I was hoping the crew's new armour would be enough to we were just another merc group here for a pit stop as we sorted out a contract. Everyone was decked out in dark, reasonably de-saturated purple armour with coloured marks on the shoulders or thighs to show what team they belonged to; Green for Combat, Black for Science, Red for Engineering and Blue for Intel. Raisha and I were the exception, I had lighter purple marking my suit while Raisha had gold. It made the Captain and XO stand out a little.

"Captain, we cannot thank you enough for getting us back to the Citadel," the asari crew thanked. I smiled, masking my unease, as I shook her hand.

"A pleasure, ma'am. I wish you the best for the future. Hopefully there won't be any more pirates for the foreseeable future," I answered politely.

"I'll drink to that," the pale asari agreed. "I still feel terrible that you won't accept a reward…"

"Ma'am, we were on our way to the Citadel and you needed help. I do not wish to take away anything more than what has already been lost or damaged already," I assured, desperate to get this mission on the way. The relief sagging the asari's face was telling.

"Thank you, Captain. Levon Roche, yes?" she asked. I nodded simply. "I'll remember that for when we need an escort," she grinned. "Thank you again,"

I was relieved when my 34 strong crew finally stepped free from the bullet ridden husk that was the remains of the Echo Empress.

"Everything is ready, Dell," Val muttered quietly as Mat'al and Indira herded everyone into some kind of informal formation. "I just hope this contact of yours can help,"

"I do as well," I agreed stiffly. Val clicked his mandibles. "He agreed to meet us in Dock D71. I gave him the name of the ship we were on so he should know that we've docked…" I shook my head slowly. "Mat'al, let's get everyone moving. I want to get there ASAP before we raise any eyebrows," I added as I glanced over my shoulder. The dark skinned salarian smiled taciturnly.

"Lead on," he answered, his eyes sharp as he prepared for possible combat. I prayed we could get Saria on her on, but that would be too much to hope for. We had to prepare for the worst.

I was unfamiliar with the Citadel layout still, so I was trusting my omni-tool in order to lead me in the right direction. I shuddered as it took me down several corridors and lifts, swaying at the sudden Déjà vu that swam through me. So long ago I had walked down these halls, blindly following a man I thought was C-Sec. I glanced over my shoulder to Valérien, the turian seemed to be frowning slightly. He was remembering as well. I snorted softly as I passed a door, wondering if that was the door I had walked through before everything went wrong.

"Feel like walking down memory lane?" I asked Val with a dry smile. He snorted a laugh.

"Not right now," he offered me a half-grin. "Wait until we see if you don't get jumped by Blue Suns first," That brought a smile to my face, despite the urge to throttle him. He remembered well enough. "I'm feeling a bit peckish, any brain on the menu?" Now I openly glared at him. He was grinning like a bloody Cheshire cat!

"I will shoot you in a minute," I seethed. Now Val laughed, finally relaxing a touch. Well, I'm glad someone was enjoying themselves, I grumbled sourly. My anger dissipated however, we finally entered the docking bay.

I spotted the charcoal coloured turian a mile away. He was the only other person in the entire docking bay… bar about 50 or so C-Sec officers behind him. I paused a few steps into the room, surveying the scene before me. C-Sec and my informant straightened at our appearance, guns were raised and armed. The crew behind me quickly assessed the situation, already fanning out with guns to their eyes. I nearly growled. I hadn't been expecting this… but dammit I had to try!

"Stand down," I snapped to the team behind me, raising an arm for good measure. The 34 strong team stared at me. Mat'al took once glance to me before the shotgun was returned to his back, standing straight with chilled eyes. Val clicked his mandibles as he gripped the Tempest, but he reluctantly lowered it. "I've got this," I pressed.

"Stand down!" Val cried out, making the crew shuffle. The guns slowly lowered, but no one was happy. I released the souring air in my lungs, turning to the larger problem at hand. I had never been so relieved to have Val here to keep everyone in check. I took a few steps away from the crew before stopping, staring at the charcoal turian.

"Commander Satrino Wilcerous," I called out, keeping my tone light. "Long time no see," I added after a slight pause. Satrino nodded his head slowly, the off-white markings glaring on his skin. "I see you brought a few friends,"

"Well, I wasn't expecting to get a message from a dead woman," he countered. "A dead woman with murder on her now non-existent file," I winced at his harsh tone. I had only met the man once, during the Geth attack on the Citadel but he seemed a decent enough man. I just hoped he wasn't indoctrinated.

"That… is a very long story," I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I had no part of the disappearance of my records or that ship though, if that makes you feel better,"

"So you admit you murdered Arnold Keplar?" he asked, his tone nearly dead. I was getting real sick and tired of trying to explain it. I ran a hand down my face, frustration and stress peaking.

"Yes, alright, yes! It was me. Unwillingly so but it was still me," I cried, exacerbated. Satrino stared at me, expression unreadable. I hated that about turians. I knew Val and his mannerisms but I doubted they were the same for every turian. Satrino took two steps towards me, closing the 20 or so metre gap between us.

"How big is your crew?" he asked. I kept my face straight, trying to control the fear bubbling under the surface. I couldn't let Nyryntha gain control of me again!

"35 including myself," I answered, restricting my number to the current ground crew. Satrino's eyes wandered to the side, trying to look behind him. After a moment he turned to me again.

"You want Saria?" he questioned. I snorted.

"I want Saria's head on a geth plated platter," I corrected. The turian laughed harshly. He grinned then, unfolding his arms from across his chest. He turned to the officers behind him.

"Stand down," he commanded as he strolled towards me. I slowly relaxed as he held a hand out. I eagerly took it. "Saria has been giving me a severe headache, literally and figuratively," My heart leapt at his words.

"Any strange thoughts, dreams?" I quested urgently. The charcoal turian crossed his arms again, turning to the C-Sec officers behind him, ready and waiting.

"Yeah. When I got your message, I distanced myself from Saria as much as possible. Not too difficult now that she has climbed the ranks faster than a Varren on fire," he nearly growled, mandibles snapping against his cheeks. "The dreams are gone, the headaches are fading and I feel like someone has just released my mind from a cage. Be thankful I decided to trust your warning and test it out otherwise I would be arresting you and your entire crew right now,"

"Thank you for giving me the chance," I managed, relieved my new reputation hadn't completely damaged my contacts.

"And thank you for saving me and my men. Everyone here was experiencing the same headaches and dreams as myself. Several here are said friends they knew who also complained are now completely infatuated with Saria. That is not right, not in any sense," he held an arm out by his side, indicating I should walk with him. I took a step before raising my hand and waving to my crew. They followed.

"Saria has been a complete menace, there is no kinder word. Her methods are brutal and yet she never gets pulled up by command for it. She's always first in line for promotion and those in command leap to her every word. She has about 130 good officers now completely under her command. They do not listen to me or any other commander. Not only that, she hasn't been keeping her trail very well hidden. I found her fingerprints all over the C-Sec databases. We can barely find anything on you there now or the prison ship that was carrying you. Everything has vanished apart from one file that was last edited by Saria before some low level cop managed to get access to it to hide it. There is something not right with that asari," he explained as we joined his officers.

"Where is she now?" I asked. Satrino clapped his mandibles together.

"The Tower," he answered slowly. I met his eyes, nearly putting a crick in my neck, as I struggled to figure out what he was silently trying to tell me. I think I knew.

"You think Saria was behind the assassination attempt," I concluded. Satrino laughed harshly.

"Assassination attempts," he growled. I stared. "Four in total since she got promoted to Commander," he held his face in a taloned hand. "Every drop of evidence I gather suddenly vanishes before I can present it to the Council. Messages, weapons, forensics, witnesses. Everything just disappears as soon as I find it!" he nearly roared in frustration. "And I know I am going to get the fall if she is successful. She knows I know something is up with her, she's been trying to have me demoted so many times,"

"We'll stop her, one way or another," I vowed. I wasn't sure how I was going to do it. I had nearly 0 experience when it came to fighting biotics. This was going to go horribly wrong without some luck. I chewed my lip at the thought. I wasn't exactly sure how I was going to kill Saria. I could only hope, as Val said, she died like a normal person.

Only one way to find out.

"I'll be able to get you and a small team into the tower, there is a backway that doesn't require the elevator but it is one heck of a climb and that is before we even attempt to get into Council Chambers. Saria is in a Council meeting just now. With any luck, she'll be distracted and we can sort her out quickly and cleanly," Satrino explained. I snorted softly.

"Imagine the worst case scenario," I began as he gave me a wary glance. "Multiply that. That is what is going to happen. Nothing I have ever done with these damn Reapers has gone to plan,"

"Oh don't sound like Shepard, he was borderline madman," Satrino dismissed. I smiled, almost mimicking a chilled Mat'al smile.

"I didn't like the asshole," I agreed. "But he was right about the Reapers… sadly," I rolled my shoulders to ease the tension. "How many can you get into the tower?" I asked. Satrino pulled his shoulders back, eyes ahead as he tapped a code into a door just outside the docking bay.

"About 8 or so," he answered. "No more,"

"Is that so…" I murmured. "You can't squeeze another 27 into that?" Satrino scowled severely at me.

"No," he snapped. I looked up from under my eyelids, giving him a measured look.

"Really," I answered nonchalantly. Satrino frowned at me, mandibles flared slightly. "Indira," I summoned. The drell bounded to my side in an instant. "You and Mat'al sneak as many as you can into the tower. Val, pick 7 people to back me up. I want this asari dead one way or another. The _Starquake_ is on standby if things get too hot," I reminded. "When I say retreat, every single one of you get to the outside of the tower. And remember, children, it is space we are talking about. Please put your helmets on before going out," I stressed.

"Don't worry, Dellion," Indira winked. "We'll keep our helmets on, just in case!"

"Alright, move out. Satrino, take us up the Tower," I ordered, casting a glance to Val as he organised a strike team for me.

I waited nervously for the five or so minutes it took Val to make his decision. I was surprised – well, stunned to be more precise – when I realised Val wasn't in the team himself. The strike team was made up from those from the combat team; everyone except Andria, Aroqoul and Mirrot. The female turian, male salarian and female salarian seemed disappointed, and Iona was more than upset to be stuck with me. We still weren't best friends. Not by a long shot. Val was preparing to travel with Mat'al and Indira, carefully keeping himself on the other side of the bundle of people. I tamed a renegade strand of hair poking out from behind my ear. He was still trying to show me that he could follow orders, that he didn't have to shadow my every move. It was touching…

If we survived this, I would have to thank him for it.

Satrino was waiting impatiently inside the door he had opened up. It led into a stairway of some kind lit only by long, vertical lights that stained everything in a glaring white light. I took a shuddering breath, trying to settle the fear trying to rattle me. I couldn't let Nyryntha win, I just couldn't let her get in control of me. Never again! I strode through the door, began mounting the chairs. The ascent would be long, I would doubt everything as I readied myself to face another Saboteur in battle. I had met the woman – or whatever she was now – once, but that was more than enough. It was time to end this once and for all.


	15. Chapter 15

I couldn't believe how nervous I was as I finally reached the top of the service stairway to the tower. Either that or my mouth was just dry from the climb. Either way, I had to keep a stiff spine and an even stiffer lip. Saria was not going to be sympathetic towards me and I had to be prepared for any Saboteur tricks she could pull… if any existed. I mentally kicked myself as we crept out into tower, the pink stained leaves a welcome change from the bleak white and blue grey stairway.

Satrino had abandoned us not long ago, preparing our escape route and helping to prevent any other C-Sec or other personnel interfere with us while we hauled out asses out of the fire. I dreaded to think what would happen if Satrino and his men weren't covering our asses. Satrino wasn't willing to put his metal rear end on the line by standing with me – and I was determined to keep him out of the firing range as much as possible – but at least he could still help us, beyond getting our people into the tower.

My crew kept low as we carefully meandered our way towards to the head of the tower. I could hear the voices of people speaking but at this point, in the dead room, a mouse would probably sound like a jet engine. I shuffled up the stairs, carefully trying to use every piece of cover I could. Eventually, after hugging a wall, we were at the base of the stairs leading towards the council chambers.

I could hear Saria distinctly.

"With the influx of attempted assassinations, Councillors, I would implore you to take extra precautions. Someone wants you dead, I am unsure as to who at this time but I swear to you, they will not hide forever. I can have an elite guard at your sides at all times, watching the room," Saria was saying, her voice calm. I could hear very faint clicks of robotics, but no one else seemed to frown at them. The joys of being a Saboteur, I suppose. I glanced up to the balconies, desperate to see my team. They were still absent.

"I understand your concerns, Commander," the asari councillor began. God forgive, I couldn't even remember her name. "However, we cannot grant you the access you are requesting. Such access to those databases is restricted to Spectres and members of the council,"

"The vaults as well are under strict jurisdiction, Commander, out with your allowances," the Salarian councillor added, his male tone almost accusing. I carefully poked my head around my cover, trying to see past the stairs to Saria.

That was when I noticed the upper balconies above the Councillors covered in C-Sec officers.

Shit! I pinned my back to the wall, trying to keep my head against it as much as possible. I gulped air down as panic rose. Deep breathes, Dell. You'll be fine, just wait until the rest of the team get into position… whenever they appeared. Just think about what was said. Something about a vault and databases with Spectre access… was Saria trying to get into the Spectres? Ah that was not a nice conclusion! If Saria was trying to get into the Spectres that meant that they didn't have anyone in the Spectres yet… I suppose that was better than nothing.

"I understand, Councillors, however it would make my duties harder to fulfil," Saria pressed calmly.

"Your request to gain access to the HSD System and the vaults has been denied, Commander," the grumpy turian remarked. There was a slight pause from Saria.

"I see… a pity. I had hoped to secure your safety," Saria answered, almost chirpy. The mass of C-Sec officers, at least 80 or so, moved then. The still statues shuffled like a field of wheat, guns clicking in their hands.

"Commander Saria?" the asari's voice rang out, confused. I glanced around the room desperately. No sign of the crew yet.

But dammit, I had to act!

"Stay here," I nearly hissed. The crew stared at me blankly. "If shit goes down, then go in all guns blazing. I'll stall her until the rest get here,"

"Aye, aye, Captain," Shual rumbled. The others managed stiff nods. They were probably as nervous as I was. I dragged the air into my lungs before bounding out, leaping up the stairs. I still had no idea what I was going to do or say. Just wing it and pray.

"Saria!" I cried once I had mounted the stairs. I heard the clicks of several tens of guns click as the indoctrinated officers snapped their guns to me. My nerve quaked. The asari was down a thin walkway, standing on a dainty platform before the four council members. Alas, when that blue alien slowly turned to me, everything else was forgotten.

She actually looked a little surprised, eyebrows high, mouth slightly ajar. She studied me with interest yet cold and calculating. I stiffened my back against her stares, remembering our first encounter. I had been battered by flames and grenades when we had last met, so many dead because of her. A slow smile broke out over her face as she turned to face me. She folded her arms elegantly, the black and blue uniform poisoned by her Saboteur frame.

"Endellion Shaik," she half smiled, almost satisfied. "My, my. It has certainly been a long time. As I recall, little human, the last time you were on the Citadel you had committed murder," By this point, I was too used to that question being thrown in my face. I snorted at her.

"And a certain asari C-Sec officer was so nice enough to slaughter God knows how many innocent people, destroy a ship and aid said wanted murderer in escaping," I snarled, the sarcasm thick at the beginning of my words. Saria laughed harshly.

"Then I will need to find this little asari, won't I? Did you happen to catch a name?" Saria asked pleasantly. I frowned severely at her, feeling the beginnings of a niggling headache.

"Oh, well she went by two names so maybe that will help. The first is her less common name, Xanthe I believe," I retorted, equally as haughty. "Commando Xanthe to be exact. Her more common name is Saboteur Saria T'Spia, sleeper agent for the Reapers. I'm sure you've heard more than enough from Spectre Commander Shepard about those," I steadied my gaze, keeping them locked to the asari's brilliant blue eyes. I could almost see the circuitry in them. "How is little Xanthe doing, by the way? I saw what happened to Nazara and his little Saboteur. Saren was it?"

"Saren was no true Saboteur, Advocacy Nyryntha," Saria answered, almost sourly as she seemed to forget the council members behind her. Saria was no longer smiling as she unfolded her arms. The Council stared, confusion flitting across their faces. "He was a puppet, not even worth the time to create. Nazara failed in his mission, as you are,"

"Sorry, Nyryntha isn't allowed to come out a play," I grinned, finally gaining the upper hand. "She's been a bad, bad girl. I also had a lovely visit to Cassianus. He says hi," I added dryly. Saria stared for a time, listening to my words. Her eyes were wide for a time. She burst out laughing, the tone dead and cold. I frowned as the triumph faded, almost shaking my head as the headache formed.

"You entered the body of a living Reaper? The wild Shell thought it was a good idea to be near a living Reaper? Oh Nyryntha, your Shell is a fool! How has she managed to keep you tamed?" Saria frowned, although there was nothing to it. It was almost dead. "I'm impressed, Shell. Entering an Enforcer and escaping still in control… I suppose madness has weakened his ability to bring you to heel," My embarrassment was hidden under the cautious curiosity mounting.

"Enforcer?" I echoed. Saria smiled knowingly.

"Well, you wouldn't be the first Shell to resist their master. We do need someone to police them just as much as we need a Vanguard to ensure our return," Saria began taking slow, sure steps towards me.

"Who failed, I might add," I added with a grumble. Dammit, what was with this headache?!

That was then I realised Saria must be doing something.

"Get out of my head!" I roared, drawing the Carnifex. The guns above me clicked in warning.

"You are certainly resistant, which is unusual. But everyone succumbs eventually," she smiled then. My knees quivered as my vision flashed white. I knew what was coming. I grit my teeth as the migraine blinded me, a robotic screech of frustration ringing in my head. My knees quaked, I could no longer see straight and I was trying to supress the pained sounds trying to leak past my mouth. I fell to one knee.

"F-Fuck you, Saboteur!" I roared in pain. My gun quivered in my hand as I struggle to hold it. Saria was gone from me, I was completely blind. "Fire!" I screeched.

The thunder of guns roared around me.

I wheezed as the pain ceased, a krogan hauling my ass back a few metres as Saria whipped her gaze to the balconies. It was utter carnage. I saw smoke bombs, flash grenades, incinerates, overloads, warps, lifts, drones, turrets. And that was just from my side. I was relieved to see my crew, Val leading the front with Shayan shaking beside him as he cracked orders out. Mat'al was on the other side of the tower with Indira. The indoctrinated C-Sec officers took a few moments to gather themselves, taken by surprise, but the firefight was soon underway.

"Incoming on the ground level!" I heard Iona call out behind me. I flailed look over my shoulder, my head spinning from the action as it was revealed to me that more C-Sec, probably indoctrinated themselves, flooded out from doors along the sides. God, how many had Saria indoctrinated?! Utren, the krogan who granted me some distance, roared as he charged into the flood. I winced as bodies flew.

"They're indoctrinated! They won't show mercy! But remember why we're here!" I called out over the noise. I had to keep my team focused. Dammit, Saria was the real danger! My eyes locked with Saria as she frowned at me. I nearly snarled at her. "The Saboteur can't kill the council. The galaxy is fucked if that happens!" I drew the Locust, holding it straight as I holstered the Carnifex. A biotic aura encircled Saria. "Let's kick these Reaper shitheads in the balls!" I released a hail of bullets towards Saria.

I promptly had to roll behind a low wall in order to avoid a railing that had been ripped off and flung towards me. Shit! I didn't think of that! I had never fought a biotic before! Val had certainly tried to help me on our way to the Citadel, letting me experience what it was like to be grabbed by biotics but how could one counter it? I threw out Marshal in a desperate attempt to distract the slowly enraging Saboteur. I let loose another barrage of bullets, but the asari was already moving behind cover. Why wasn't she drawing a weapon?

"So, little Advocacy, you believe you can best me? One on one?" Saria taunted, voice tight. I growled as a warp took Mar out of action for a while. "You have already proven to be foolish, why haven't you given up?" she nearly snapped. I rumbled as I peeked around cover. I winced when an Incinerate from above landed nearby.

"That is none of your damn business, Xanthe!" I snapped. I hurled a cryo blast in her general direction. She easily rolled out of the way, the ground near her cracking from the cold. I glared furiously at her. I poked out to fire a few rounds at her.

Then I felt her grab my arm with her biotics.

I screamed as she dragged me from my cover, flying through the air as she unfolded herself from her cover. She marched towards me, a severe scowl on her face that contorted it in cruel ways. She didn't even flinch at the flash bang handing nearby. Any sound I had made abruptly ended when her hand slammed against my neck, almost breaking it. I gagged as I tried for make my limbs move, to resist her, but the biotics had spread to my whole body. I was helpless as I tried to move my arms to claw at her hand.

"You are weak, little Shell. Your Reaper is strong. She could best me in combat," she snorted. "I have over 200 people under my control. Your entire crew will die and you, Shell, will aiding us when we are finished with you. Why have you resisted for so long?!"

I yelped when a sniper smashed into Saria's back, breaking through her barrier. It released me from the biotics somewhat. I whipped out the omni-blade, making a mad flail towards her as she stumbled forward. Sadly for me, the well trained Saria recovered and threw her head back, flinging me away from her with the remaining biotics holding me. I cried out as I skidded across the floor, scrambling to try and get behind cover as I tried to breathe. God, her grip was good, too good! I glanced around the low wall desperately. Saria, to put it mildly, was losing the plot. She growled in my direction.

"Advocacy Nyryntha, take control of your Shell! She is a weak creature! Do it now!" she thundered, her voice now carrying an underlying robotic tone. She threw a warp up towards the balcony. My heart leapt to my aching throat. Indira threw a lift towards it, the two biotics crashing in a brilliant show of light. Saria snarled.

"Pests, every last one you is a pest!" she screeched. I blanched when I saw metal plates beginning to coat her arms, cables slipping free from her pores and linking up with other parts of her body. The plates were slowly encasing her body. The circuitry in her eyes spread to the corner of her eyes, eventually large, blue lines occupied large portions of her face. "Nyryntha, you failure! The cycle must continue!"

My pathetic bursts of gunfire was useless against her. I dived out of my cover, desperately trying to escape as she charged after me. Cables ripped free from her arms, sliding out under the black plates. They tried to snatch me, them and her biotics. I leapt into a small walled garden, raised above the ground as I tried to flee her. Her biotics snatched me, dragged me to her after hauling me into a tree. I couldn't even scream before her fist found me, nearly shattering more than a few ribs had my armour not taken such a large blow. I tumbled on the ground as I held my chest, trying to breathe. My throat was tight from the strangling, my lungs ached from the punch. The room was swirling. Saria marched to me, the ongoing fight around us forgotten.

"If you will not deal with your Shell, then I will!" she rumbled. She grabbed me by the back of my head, not even bothering with the hair. I knew what was coming.

I just saw a bleary wall rushing to meet me before she slammed it into the wall. Everything blanked; my thoughts, my ability to speak, to move. The pain punched me awake. The second time I was able to raise my arms and resist for a second, but my elbows caved and I met concrete once more. As she drew me back for a third one, I activated an overload on instinct. Both Saria and I screeched at the electrocution, the asari particularly as she stumbled back. I managed to get up on a knee before the biotics flew at me again. I closed my eyes as I was hurled across the room like a doll, gritting my teeth as the landing cracked my ribs once more.

She finally drew her pistol, glaring at me with electronic blue eyes glowing from the Reaper Tech inside of her. I could barely see her, the room partially black from mysterious spots and blurry at times. The room danced as my balance system completely failed. She charged towards me as she started firing. I started trying to roll out the way. Her pistol was powerful, more powerful than mine, and tore through my shields in two shots. I cried out as a bullet tore open a hole at my hip, another on my right shoulder. I managed to put my Locust away to pull out my Carnifex as she reached me but I was using my weak hand. My bullet barely dented her shield, even at this range. She dropped the pistol, raising her fist as an omni-blade appeared. I released another bullet, bouncing off her shields once more.

Saria grabbed the front of my damaged armour just as a series of quick sniper rounds pounded into her shield, ripping it to shreds. Saria roared in rage as the hail continued, forcing her back several steps. Barely able to see straight, one arm useless, my left hip wanting to strangle me and my head swirling like a drunk, I made a mad dive for her, omni-blade reaching out to try to counter her own.

She was a lot closer than I thought.

Everything moved in slow motion, I couldn't understand what was happening. I gagged as my fist met her throat, punching through the slit the blade created. It met resistance that caused it to skite to one side, my fist opening automatically to reach for something to balance on. It met something hard. The omni-blade vanished as I closed my hand around the hard object that deflected my blade like it was a pole. I yelped in surprise as I tumbled over the asari, my pole suddenly pulling free. I swayed uselessly on the floor after landing, deafened by the silence as I stared at my hand.

I was able to make out a spine. My initial nausea was forgotten for a time, staring at glowing lights fading to nothing that ran up and down the spine, metal cable dangling limp from the sides of the vertebrae. I looked back to Saria, watching her head finally come to a halt apart from her body. Why was everything so quiet? I looked up the balconies and found my answer. The indoctrinated servants were staring at me, their eyes dead. Dread surfaced as I tried to find my feet, stumbling madly. They all roared; in rage, in pain, in revenge. They began shooting wildly, at me, at each other, at my crew.

Then I was made aware of another sound as I limped to my staggering feet.

"C-Sec! Arrest her! Seize the human!" one of the councillors cried from the back of the room, from where they were cowering. My confusion only rose, the noise staggering me.

I didn't even complain when Verv grabbed me and hauled me over his massive krogan shoulder. In my ear I heard Val call the retreat, Lanster was already calling the _Starquake_. I held onto the spine for dear life, the room spinning, colours flashing and light dancing past me. I didn't recognise where I was, it took me ages to realise someone had shoved my helmet on. I was able to get my bearings a little once we got into their stairwell, but my vision was still swimming. I didn't think my right eye was working either. The sound muffled until all I heard as the sound of dozens of feet.

And then silence when we finally entered space.

I remember looking around, dazed and confused as everything slowed down. People were no longer running, there was no sound, there was no horizon to fixate to. I tightened my grip, the nausea returning with a vengeance. I saw something large and silver fly into view, my vision failing with each second. The adrenaline was fading, a dull ache beginning to surface. A cold shiver ran down my spine, shooing the nausea away. I guess someone had given me medi-gel.

The crew leapt the space between the Tower and the cargo door. I think I saw some leap into the airlock from higher up the tower. I struggled to free myself from Verv's grip once back on board the _Starquake_, the krogan hesitant to release me. I managed to stand on my feet, leaning heavily on my good hip. I still had to cling to Verv as my head tried to stop spinning. The white tower vanished from view, snapping my gaze to the cargo door. I was able to figure out that the door was closing.

_"Sit tight everyone, this is going to be rough!"_ Lanster cried, once again in the cockpit. What was going to be-

I cried out when the _Starquake_ suddenly surged forward, Verv grunting as he tried to hold himself up and me. The rest of the crew either fell over or managed to withstand the g-forces. After the g-forces faded a little, I tried to make my way to the elevator. Verv had to be my walking stick. He also had to hit the CIC floor for me after I couldn't find the buttons. Finally stumbling into the room, the place was in chaos.

Verv stumbled as the _Starquake_ veered hard to one side, nearly flooring me. I couldn't even see by this point, my eyes were getting too swollen to keep open. I heard cries about 'enemy ships' and 'evasive manoeuvres'. I could only assume that every ship in the Widow Nebula was trying to shoot us down. I think Verv managed to get me to the Control Ring, since I was nearly shoved into the chair. A large hand pinned me to it.

_"Nearly at the mass relay. We'll jump through as many as we can to try and lose these guys- Oh fuck off, Alliance!"_ Lanster cursed. I gave up trying to open my eyes now, trying to sort my messed up brain. Alliance? Of course they would be attacking us. I managed to make a panicked sound as the _Starquake_ veered hard to each side, surging forward when needed. I heard the mass effect FTL warm up before we jumped forward, my stomach almost crawling out of my mouth.

It took hours, in the end. From what I was able to make out from the chatter around me, the ships were followings us through mass relay after mass relay. We eventually managed to FTL to another system, fake our disappearance through a mass relay and hide behind a planet, finally utilising the stealth capabilities of the _Starquake_. We waited half an hour before using FTL to access another mass relay and from there, spent about 4 hours delving deep into the Terminus Systems.


	16. Chapter 16

_The Fact Sheet and Timeline have been updated for this chapter. Please see profile for the link._

* * *

"And then we were swerving and rolling and there were lasers going 'pew pew pew' past us and Lanster is going absolutely crazy and everyone was running around like there was a fire on board and our shields failed 4 times so Sershin had to keep redirecting power and the engineers were running everywhere and-"

"Take a breath, Gideon," I reminded gently. I heard Gideon take a few deep breaths, ready for another great ramble of the events of the hours immediately after our escape from the Citadel.

It had only been about 2 hours after we had decided it was safe to stop fleeing. I was tucked safe and sound in the med bay, a large ice-pack over my face and bandages over my chest, head and hips. I also broke 2 fingers which was far from pleasant, I grumbled. Mat'al had to nearly break my hand to make me release the spine I had been clutching so desperately. I nearly collapsed soon after, which is why I was in the med bay instead of my room. Gideon, true to fashion, was a little tick glued to my side.

"Gideon, shoo!" I heard Saere scowl. The boy whined softly.

"But Saere!" he complained. I knew what was coming, I couldn't help the smile forming on my battered face.

"Oh? Are you sick as well?" Saere asked. Gideon was quiet. "Then I had best give you something then! We can't have illnesses spreading on the ship! Now let me see..." I heard a drawer open. "Ah, perfect! A nice multivitamin shot, this should-" I heard Gideon's squeal of terror before the chair he had been sitting on nearly flew across the room. He scrambled out of the med bay crying 'she's gonna stab me! Help!' My laughter was low and painful. Saere tutted as she secured the door against any further intrusion from him.

"You are too good at this, Saere. Any tips?" I asked. I almost heard the female turian grin.

"Of course. Find something he hates and utilise it," she chuckled. "Now, with Gideon taken care of I can see if that bone serum has finally done its job. You had quite the impressive skull fractures, Dell,"

"I had my face pounded into a wall by a pissed off Saboteur. I think I got off lightly," I sighed as Saere took the ice-pack off my face. I heard her click through her omni-tool, checking for damage. I had come off pretty badly. I was lucky I didn't have a haemorrhage in my brain, amongst other things. I waited impatiently, mostly from nerves, for her verdict.

"It has mostly healed, a few of the larger fractures are still there but are hairline. A few weeks rest is what you would need, ideally," Saere concluded. "I'll make sure the XO and commanders are informed," she added firmly. I scowled softly at the woman as I attempted to open my eyes. They ached, to be kind. I moaned, nearly whimpered. I slowly sat up, wincing as the hip complained.

"Speaking of which," I grunted. "I need to have a word with them. Thanks, Saere. You are a life-saver," the female turian seemed to raise a brow plate.

"And where, my dear, do you think you are going?" she asked. I managed a short scowl.

"I need an update of where we are, I still have a crew to lead," I retorted. Saere made a sound in her throat, discounting my words immediately. She simply unlocked the door and poked her head out, making me frown as I tried to get into a more comfortable seated position. It wasn't easy.

"Gideon, do you want to help the captain?" I heard Saere nearly sing. I glared furiously at her as I heard Gideon bound to her immediately.

"Of course! What's she need?" he asked eagerly.

"Saere-!" I tried to snap. The turian ignored me.

"Go and collect the commanders and XO Raisha please, Dell needs to speak to them immediately," Saere explained. I nearly heard Gideon salute. I seethed. Goddam, this turian knew how to work children!

"Yes ma'am, right away ma'am!" Gideon cheered before I saw him run to the elevator through the window. I glowered at Saere as she pinned me with a stare.

"As you said, Captain, you had your face pounded into a wall by a Saboteur. You will remain exactly where you are for the next week at least. Now lie down," she ordered firmly.

"Oi, who's the captain here?" I asked grumpily. Saere smiled slowly, making me hesitate.

"I believe until you are released from my care, Raisha is captain," Saere answered simply. I opened my mouth to argue but her words were too striking. I was in the medical bay due to injuries and until I was given the green to go, Raisha was in charge… I essentially had no commanding power.

"Fuck," I sighed, falling limp against the pillow. Saere clicked her mandibles smugly before she began delving into her omni-tool. I almost wished I hadn't forced Saere to send for the commanders. Not while I was like this.

But I needed a situation update. Gideon's little story about the escape was nice and all, but I needed details, something the boy couldn't do with his level of knowledge. I needed to start planning for the future. We had killed a Saboteur… or should I say, they killed Saria. I just so happened to be lucky enough to be near for the kill shot. I would have ran a hand down my face, but the dull ache was a reminder that was not a good idea. So much uncertainty was at play just now, it was difficult to judge where to begin…

Shayan shuffled into the room first, noting me on the bed. He visibly winced. I frowned a touch, glancing to Saere for an explanation. The turian ignored me. The quarian perched himself on the bed beside me, quiet. I dreaded to think the reasoning for it. He offered a small hello before Mat'al strutted in. The salarian raised a brow at me as he paused by the door. After a moment, he took a position on my right side, leaning against the wall. Ok, seriously, what was wrong? Indira skipped in, although the anchors slammed on and she sucked in a breath, looking torn with her lips stretched to the sides. I felt my temper simmer. She hopped up beside Shayan, sharing a look to him. Raisha did stare when she finally came in, although she didn't pause. She leaned against the desk near the bottom of my bed. Val, God bless that blunt bastard, at least at the curtesy to speak when he walked in.

"Wow," he started slowly. "You look like absolute shit." Mat'al threw a frosty glare to him. I shifted my eyes to the crew, concern only rising.

"In what sense?" I asked. Val snorted as he leaned beside Raisha.

"Well let me put it this way. You like purple right? Well, your face is more purple than your uniform," he retorted. I nearly gaped at him for a moment. I sucked in a slow, deep breath.

"Mirror," I commanded. No one moved. "Now," I added firmly. Indira shuffled as she reached out to a nearby table and plucked a small mirror free, reluctantly passing it to me. I stared at the reflection.

True to Val's word, about 95% of my face was a deep, bruising purple or black. My nose looked like it had just been realigned, judging by the white, stiff straps stuck along it. One eye was swollen shut, the other made me look Asian. Well, actually most of my face was quite badly swollen. Scratches littered with bandages blessedly hiding some damage on the forehead. My neck wasn't much better. I flopped back, flailing the mirror to anyone who would take it. I looked like shit, as Val said. Someone took the mirror from me, I wasn't sure who.

I just grabbed the ice pack sitting near me and carefully slapped it over my face.

"Can we get some privacy, Saere?" I asked, almost monotone. I heard someone shuffle.

"Certainly. Now remember, young lady, you do not leave that bed for the next week. Do I make myself clear?" she asked. I remained silent. I heard her calm herself with a breath. "She is very, very lucky, Commanders. If she wasn't so stubborn…" the silence was thick. I heard the door open and close, a small beep announcing it was locked. I just let the ice sting and numb my aching face.

"You are well?" Raisha asked gently. I sighed softly, reluctant to shuffle in case it hurt. I didn't need them fussing over me.

"No, but I need to know our situation," I responded decisively. The silence only made me nervous.

"I think it would be best if you rest first, Dell," Shayan coughed. "You look like you are in a lot of pain…"

"And that is after Saere has pumped you with as much medication as she can without killing you," Mat'al added.

Goddamn all of this…

"We're safe for now," Val sighed. "The _Starquake_ took some damage but Shayan and his team are on the case. We're stockpiling the ammo caches throughout the _Starquake_, especially for the main cannons. We're arranging shift work just now for the crew, we've also withdrawn everything from our bank accounts so that'll be safe," I took in words in with a growing stone in my gut.

"Why… would we need shift work and to withdraw our money?" I asked painfully. I grit my teeth at the silence.

"The… Council has ordered your immediate arrest, Dellion," Indira admitted. "As well as the entire crew. They don't have everyone's names yet but no doubt they'll figure that out soon enough… We're bunkering down just now until the repairs are done but we'll need to move soon in case any more Spectres come our way-"

"Spectres?!" I nearly rocketed out the bed had Mat'al not pinned my good shoulder down, the ice pack flew off. "W-Why are Spectres after us? What's the charge?"

"Steady, Dell, Stea-" Val tried, I patted his hovering hands away, not even bothering to hide the tears falling at the stab of pain from the action.

"Don't you steady me! What. Are. The. Charges?" I pressed aggressively. Mat'al was struggling to keep me still without hurting me further.

"Murder," Raisha said softly. "For Arnold Keplar and for Saria T'Spia," I openly gaped. "However, we all are beginning to suspect that it is just a farce. You and Saria had a… in-depth little talk before the fight broke out. I believe the Council are aware of your Reaper tech," My tongue was refusing to work, struggling to comprehend all of this. My head was down the gutter and it was not coming back.

"D-Did everyone make it to the _Starquake_ alright?" I asked with a quiver, trying desperately to find something good in this whole mess. Eyes immediately diverted. My heart sank.

"Cailcero Lerus did not survive the fight," Val told me slowly.

"Cailcero? T-The mint salarian? B-But he was on my te-!" the words died in my throat. I couldn't breathe. Cailcero had been part of my team, he had been on the tower floor with me! I was his commanding officer! It had been my job to keep him safe, to make sure he got back!

"Dellion, breathe!" I mutely heard Indira press, hopping from the bed. I barely heard her, the realisation that I had essentially abandoned my team to fend for themselves, without putting anyone in charge, was crashing down on me. I had been so focused on Saria I had completely forgotten about the men and women behind me, keeping my ass safe from the rear! The room was fading, I couldn't think-

"Saere!" someone called, maybe Val. I lay, paralysed to the bed as the egotistical, cheery Salarian's face flashed before me, through all the times I had run across him in the ship, in combat training…

I had failed. I had failed him, failed the team I had led, failing the team now…

* * *

"Why do you open your mouth, Valérien?" Mat'al scolded severely once we were safely on the officer's deck. I frowned at the salarian, trying to brush off the frost growing on my shoulder from his stare as my blood boiled from his words. Raisha stood outside her door, on the left approaching Dell's room, as we filed inside.

"She had to know," I answered simply, leaning against the wall between the door and the corner desk. Raisha's room was impeccable; a scattering of pictures of family and home, a computer screen full of reports bound for the captain, books filling the shelves above her desk. Raisha leaned on the wall behind the bathroom, the small room occupying the bottom left corner. It was bland other than that.

"You of all people should know how vain Dell is," Mat'al continued, his tone cutting. "Without taking her fickle nature with her appearance into account, what implored you to tell her about Cailcero? You must have known she would react like this!" his tone was rising, the ice melting by the raging inferno. I squared my shoulders as I prepared to take the battering. A small part of me stubbornly rammed against his words.

"She had to know, if the Council fleets ever run into us, the _Starquake_ is going to be doing some funky manoeuvres. If she knows what is going on she won't panic-" I tried to reason, gritting my teeth as I tried to out-smart this spirits forsaken alien.

"Ah, of course," Mat'al began, his tone far from convinced. The smiling façade dropped and the frown was once more on his face. "Allow me, Valérien, to explain Dell's mind to you seeing as you are so incompetent," I snarled, shoulders hackling. Mat'al ignored me. "She will do either one of two things when the shock wears off. She will either become even more determined or drop into a deep depression from a confidence knock. In her current state, neither are advisable," he reminded sternly, nearly shoving me back a few steps with the force of the words. "If she is determined, she'll fight Saere every step of the way. She won't heal properly, more problems will rise in the future and we could undermine the entirety of her physical well-being.

"The latter of the options will drop Dell into such a hole even Raisha will struggle to pull her out. Her confidence will be gone, unease will spread throughout the rest of the crew and our efficiency will drop dramatically. And that is before we include the Council ships chasing us across the galaxy. We need Dell to lead and to lead with her head high, not casting over her should every second to ensure everyone is alive. She won't trust herself with a team in the worst case scenario," Mat'al explained, his haughty tone itching my plates in every wrong way. How did Dell manage to talk to this man for more than 5 seconds?!

"She can start healing-" I tried.

"She is in no condition to be worrying about mental healing on top of severe physical healing!" Mat'al snapped. My eye twitched at the venom in the tone. "She almost died, Autillin! Had Shayan not asked you to hold an overload field in front of his sniper, she would be a bloodied corpse on the floor!"

"Mat'al," Raisha rumbled softly. Mat'al grudgingly faced the krogan. "What is done is done, irrespective of the timing, Endellion would be balancing between your two situations regardless. If nothing else, at least she will be in the medical bay for the week to mull it over. It will give us time to prepare Endellion to face the crew once more," Mat'al and Raisha shared a look, frozen frustration against a tranquil lake. Mat'al snorted before pacing the length of the room.

"W-Well we can't do anything today," Shayan piped up. Eyes drifted to the quarian. He quivered but I saw him pick his shoulders up a touch. "We'll let Dell rest and talk to her in the morning. We can't help her until the shock wears off," he explained with tiny quivers. I stared at the quarian curiously. He seemed… a touch more confident today.

"I agree with Shay," Indira poked her nose in the air. "I know Dellion, she come through this. Just give her a hug and kick her butt a little,"

"A little?" Mat'al raised a brow.

"Ok, a lot but the hug is the important bit!" Indira sulked a touch. "It's not fun being captain you know, especially when you have a machine that wants to destroy the galaxy in your head, the Council putting a bounty on your head, an entire of crew of people to feed and pay, a ship that needs spare parts and fuel-" Indira listed.

"I understand, Indira," Mat'al scowled softly. Mat'al rubbed his eyes as he processed his thoughts. "We'll deal with this in the morning. Who are the commanders for night shift?"

"Yourself and Shayan. Valérien will alternate where possible on different weeks, he is on days for now. Myself and Indira shall take the day shifts," Raisha said simply. I nearly bit my tongue. I was to work with Mat'al? Fantastic! Just great!

"Just one question," I began, tone bordering sarcasm despite my best attempt to keep it neutral. All eyes fell to me. "What is the chain of command in terms of commanders? If Mat'al and I cannot reach an agreement on a decision, and Raisha is not on deck…" I clicked my mandibles, awaiting Mat'al's snort. His silence flared my mandibles.

"Raisha?" Mat'al quizzed after a delay. The krogan was still, her sky blue eyes flicking between us.

"I shall question Dell when she is well enough. Until further notice, Mat'al shall be XO," Raisha sounded. I nearly heard my teeth snap they were clenched so tightly. "Is there anything that needs to be discussed?"

"Not that I am aware of," Mat'al sighed. "If there is nothing else, I should return to my duties. We will need to calculate possible routes and courses for any appearance of Council friendly ships," The salarian began making strides towards the door. "Shayan, I'll need a full report of the _Starquake's_ fuel, equipment and replacement parts. If we need to stop for anything, we need to start large diversions to reach our destinations,"

"S-Sure, Mat'al. I'll get that sorted," Shayan nodded.

"And you," Mat'al turned a frost stare to me. I clamped my mouth shut, desperately trying to keep silent as I glared fierily at him. "Not another word to Dell. Do I make myself clear?" I snorted sourly.

"Fuck you," I retorted heatedly. I wanted to kick myself. Just shut up, dammit! My blood almost froze from his stillness. I pushed myself off the wall, cutting Mat'al off from the door. I couldn't help the words rushing out of my mouth as frustration won. "You've been a pain in the spirits forsaken ass since day one," I hissed quietly. "I have no idea how Dell puts up with you-" Mat'al laughed harshly. The slightly shorter alien smiled at me, although there was nothing friendly about it.

"Remind me, Valérien, who had upset Dell over the past few days due to his complete and utter ineptitude, arrogance and a very strange ability to completely fail to comprehend chain of command, hmm? Who almost lost Endellion to us as her fury blinded her common sense?" Mat'al asked, almost chirpy. My mandibles snapped to my cheeks, stinging the skin below it something fierce.

"This is coming from the asshole who won't even salute his captain-!" I roared.

"Enough!" Raisha thundered, her deep voice shaking the very air. I breathed heavily, my control gone, my temper reigning my tongue. Mat'al snorted softly before he turned back to me.

"Next time you decide to speak, boy, I highly suggest you don't have several black marks on your record. I do not salute Dell because I know full well it agitates her, as one so often did as often as he could when we began," Mat'al stabbed painfully. I clenched my fists at my side. "So, here is what I want you to do if nothing else. Replay footage from the derelict Reaper, all of it. I want you to listen to Endellion screaming as Nyryntha gets a hair's breadth away from defeating her and know that it was you who was the root of that. Do that and we shall see how well you sleep tonight, hmm?"

His smug tone only added to the burn scalding me at the memories. I growled, shoulders hackled as I opened the door and strode through. I paused for a moment to glance back at the smug salarian.

"Joke's on you, Mat'al," I began haughtily. Mat'al frowned, confused. My feigned good mood dropped into a deep scowl. "You are assuming I sleep to begin with!"

I slammed my hand on the door control, not even bothering to wait until it had closed fully before taking the 4 or so steps across the hall. My shoulders slumped once my room door closed behind me. I plucked the keypad off, the damn thing handing loose from the action occurring so often, before I cut power to the door. I nearly ripped the armoured gloves off, slowly tearing the armour free and forsaking them wherever they landed. I tugged at the dark purple jumpsuit in rage before I finally managed to free myself from it.

I was only somewhat quietened once I had thrown on a pair of comfortable trousers and flopped on the bed in the far bottom corner. Only then did I allow myself to mentally kick my face in.

Why was it so hard to just shut up? Why could I never say the things Dell needed to hear when she needed them? Spirits, it was just everything all over again! All because of… I lifted my head enough to see the blue haze around my hand, it cut it immediately, snarling at it. I couldn't even blame that this time! …especially after it saved Dell's life. Even it was Shayan's bullets who drove Saria back far enough for Dell to regain some control, these blasted biotics had coated the bullets in a potent overload field to shatter through that barrier. Indira would have been better for it but…

It didn't even matter, did it? Dell was alive, if seriously hurt, Saria was dead, we had some Saboteur tech to study and we only had one casualty. One too many in Dell's book though. I ran my hands over my crest, almost wincing once they reached the bent up tip of my left crest, my hands twitched away from it. Dell was safe. That was all that mattered. I removed my hands, scrubbing my face. And now I had to deal with Mat'al without Dell to control him.

I snarled when I heard a knock at the door.

"What?" I asked, tone borderline murderous. If that was Raisha…

"C-Cops?" the tiny voiced answered. My anger ceased for a time, caught off-guard by the young human's appearance. I sighed as I hauled myself up, dragging myself to the door. Once I permitted power back to it, the thin, golden crested boy stood there with a thick blanket folded over his head. I stared at him for a moment.

"Gideon?" I asked slowly, concerned.

"C-Can I sleep here please? S-Saere sent me to bed but D-Dell's room is too… scary without someone there…" he asked, eyes large. I opened my mouth to respond, but it took several tries to get my tongue to work. Gideon was known to have found a place on Dell's sofa, the best alternative to a bed we had since he couldn't sleep in the main bedroom, but I didn't realise he had… sleeping issues. I sighed softly as I stepped aside.

"Sure, grab somewhere on the sofa, hopefully it's not too hard," I conceded. It took a moment to realise Gideon had already bounded into the room and was promptly building some sort of pillow fort in the crook of the corner sofa. I don't think I got passed 'sure' before he was in. I sighed as I closed the door, shoving my hands into my pockets as I slunk back to the bed.

"You ok, Cops?" Gideon asked. I glanced over, catching the blue-green eyes from between the blanket and pillow.

"Fine," I responded curtly. Gideon frowned as he lifted his head a little.

"You sure? You don't look so good. You need something to cheer you up?" he probed. I coughed at the worried tone. Spirits, with Dell out of action, he didn't have someone to 'mother hen' him as Dell put it. I guess I was the surrogate with Indira snoring like an earthquake every night. I sighed in defeat. I just couldn't lie or pass it over like Dell could, could I?

"Right now, Gid, the only thing that could cheer me is if Dell could look at my bloody face and not hate it… or even just look at me," I grumbled as I dropped on the bed. Gideon frowned, confused.

"Is this because of Sir Squidy Anus?" he quizzed. I snorted, a slight smile finally finding my face.

"Yeah," I answered, distracted.

"Dell doesn't hate you, y'know. She says you are a pain in the ass but she says that to me too. And Sassy and Diri and Lani and… well, everyone! I'll talk to her tomorrow!" he blurted, bouncing on the sofa a little.

"Don't even think about it-" I rumbled softly. It didn't hold any menace, spirits I couldn't get angry at this kid, but Gideon wasn't put off. He just got comfy on the sofa.

"She'd like you to hang out with her, I think. Ray and Sassy are too serious, Diri is too bouncy when she's hurt and Flash is too quiet. Maybe Lani could talk to her too but you know what he's like," he tugged the duvet over his head.

I frowned a touch, glancing over to the bundle of material hiding the human below it. Lanster's nickname was pretty easy to deduce. I had no idea why he called Shayan 'Flash' though. I sighed as I pulled out of datapad, dimming the lights to the rest of the room apart from the small spotlight above my bed. I wondered how long it would take to fall asleep tonight then…


	17. Chapter 17

I lay in the darkness, only a few pinpricks of light leaking in from the window on the opposite side of the ship. A few people wandered through the mess hall, but I only saw the under-lit faces as their omni-tools or drones lit their path. I wondered if they knew I was already awake, already drowning myself in the darkness. I lay on my back, peeking out into the darkness when I could.

I couldn't sleep. There was no way I would be sleeping for a long time. I could hear Saria's voice, I could imagine Cailcero's cold corpse. Tears swelled already, a stabbing pain ricocheting around in my chest. How could I face them? I had abandoned them… I had been so preoccupied with Saria I never even gave them any orders! I gently rested a hand over my face, wincing at the sharp stings. I had been lucky, I had managed to escape. It made me realise just how little I knew of my crew. I was wondering if that was even a good idea, since more would die. They would die… we all would die if we didn't stop the Reapers. I wanted nothing more than to curl into a ball, but I had already learned my lesson. I wasn't moving for days yet.

I have visitors come and go, most from crew members I had daily interaction with; Raisha and the commanders, Lanster, Anthon, Sershin, Gideon and a few of the quarians. They tried to cheer me up, to get me to speak more than a few words. I managed small smiles and a handful of words but not much. Nothing else really worked. The team was determined though, they kept pushing me, trying to make me smile, laugh. A few had been successful.

I was losing track of time, it seemed. I absently grasped the small box Anthon had left earlier. 3 days had passed already? I suppose they were keeping the lights here dimmed to draw less attention to ourselves… or maybe they did it so I could rest? I sighed as I painfully slipped the lid off the box. I stared at the small balls of chocolate rolling around. A small smile finally found my face, the first for hours. I had practically killed someone under my care and they were trying to reward me? Comfort me? I didn't even know. I slipped one of the chocolates into my mouth.

I nearly cried when I tasted the caramel coated hazelnut. Dammit, who figured my favourite chocolate out? Indira? Yeah, it must have been Indira, no one else is that nosy about my life. I stared at the box, at the dozens of other small hazelnut swirls. I was going to get very, very fat. I didn't even care. As much as it hurt to eat, I needed the comfort. The nightmares were more than enough to rattle me.

I didn't even know what I was going to do. I would eventually get out of this med bay, back with the rest of the crew. Saere had assured me the opinions of the crew hadn't changed but I wasn't so sure. I had been shoved into the position and this was my reason against the whole notion of me being a captain to begin with, I was too fresh, too inexperienced, too awed by the world. I sighed as I chewed on a second chocolate. How could I look any of the in the eye after this?

Nyryntha was going to win, eventually. I frowned a touch at the words, half expecting the Reaper to agree with me, to shove me deeper under the shadows overwhelming me. No, she did nothing. Maybe that was part of her plan. I reached for the datapad beside me, staring at an article Liara had sent me before our 'assault' on the Citadel. It was what led me to warn Satrino about possible indoctrination attempts, but looking at it again, I was certain of one thing. Reluctantly certain.

I wasn't immune to indoctrination.

It was so subtle – and while there was indeed something fighting it that wasn't my own will – it was still there. Lying here in silence, alone, gave me plenty of time to compare everything Liara had sent me to myself. My dreams were always rampant, always something strange or horrifying. I had grown accustom to them now, I knew I would see death and destruction around me, tried to fight it at every turn but there were some nights I just couldn't fight the limbs that moved out with my control. I would always wake the following morning with a pounding headache. It took hours before I would feel that slow, oily sensation slipping from head to toe. The headache would ease and a robotic growl would rattle my mind soon after.

So in actuality, I was semi-immune. My mind in itself was not, but something was resisting it and I wasn't sure what. At this point I didn't honestly care. Although, I did think back to the crew around me. No, time away from me is exactly what the crew needed. No one had complained of headaches or strange dreams but I would be amazed if Nyryntha didn't at least attempt it. I bit hard on a third chocolate, wondering how long it would be before Nyryntha had me…

"Still awake?" I heard a soft voice sigh. I looked up, startled. I didn't even hear the door open! Val was leaning heavily on an arm, in the door, mandibles sagging off his cheeks. I slowly settled, carefully placing the box of chocolate and datapad on the bedside table.

"That obvious?" I muttered. Val flicked a small smile before lumbering in. He dropped into the chair beside me. We sat in silence for an eternity, neither sure of the words to say. Val hadn't been in to see me yet since that meeting 3 days ago. I was curious as to his reason. The turian sighed as he slumped in the chair, eyes towards the darkened mess hall.

"Sorry," he began. I looked from under my eyebrows warily. "For being an asshole," I snorted a small laugh.

"Everyone is an ass, even me," I retorted. Val managed a weak smile.

"I've noticed," I managed a small scowl at his subtle dig. "Although they haven't gotten you nearly killed," he nearly grumbled. "When we got your back on the _Starquake_ after that Reaper… Why can't I just shut up and follow orders?" he muttered under his breath, almost out of my earshot. I frowned a touch. "Mat'al went through me like a thresher maw. Spirits," he held his head in his hand, gently rubbing his eyes.

"I wouldn't take Mat'al so seriously," I tried to assure. "He's just a bit protective of me," Val laughed sourly.

"A bit? Dell, he's practically forbidden me from being here at all! Only Gideon's constant nagging has finally kicked me into pissing that salarian off by coming here," he exclaimed. He loosely crossed his wrists on his lap, falling into silence.

I was struggling with words myself. I wanted to curl in a ball and die from shame, but seeing Val so frustrated… and after everything he did on the Citadel to help me, to prove to me he could follow my orders. I knew he and Mat'al weren't exactly meeting eye to eye either. Both had different methods of dealing with me; Mat'al like to keep it on a need to know basis, Val liked to be blunt to get it over and done with. Val's little failure of recognition of the hierarchy also wasn't rubbing anyone the right way. I sighed as I reached for a chocolate, to help distract me.

"If it makes you feel better, at least you didn't get someone killed," I muttered. I heard Val's breathing deepen for a moment. I reluctantly shifted my stare to him. His eyes were lost in the stars through the window on the other side of the ship. I wasn't even sure he heard me.

"I wouldn't say that," he offered a smile draped in regret. "I lost 11 people on my second mission as leader," Val admitted. I jumped, as if nipped by static at the words. "It was before my biotics came around, we had been ordered to secure an area on Oma Ker – where I was born – that had fallen to some pathetic bunch of separatist turians who thought the Hierarchy needed some revising. The area included a chemical plant that was run by the salarians as a research agreement with the turians. I think the separatists realised they weren't going to last long. They opened as many valves to the gaseous chemicals as possible. I, of course, didn't think they would be that desperate to do that and proceeded with the advance…

"8 died quickly enough to the gas. The other 3 died from gunfire or explosions as I tried to retreat the rest to safety. 18 men and I only managed to bring 7 home and that was only because reinforcements arrived with a higher ranking officer to kick me out of any decision making. Took me 5 months before I accepted another leadership role and that was only because my father threatened to throw me out if I didn't," Val rubbed his eyes, trying to remove the shadows closing in on him. He eventually turned to me, meeting my eyes half-heartedly.

"I'll admit it, Dell, we were damn lucky. We caught Saria and her servants by surprise and you were doing a damn job of keeping Saria off us. Most of her indoctrinated servants fell relatively easily, but Saria was a hell of a biotic, even I could feel the effects of it. She would have messed us up good had you not kept her focused," he smiled slowly, a tiny upwards flick. "We weren't doing a good job of helping you though. Spirits, I tried to break her biotic field when I could but she was a thousand times stronger than I. Even Indira was struggling. If there is anyone to blame for what happened, it was us; for not giving your adequate cover fire, by not taking out the servants fast enough, for not being able to stop Saria throwing you around, for taking so long to break her barriers down… Spirits, if Shayan hadn't asked me to hold an Overload field before his Indra you would be…"

"Wait, it was Shayan who stopped Saria?" I could barely speak. That little bit of Val's military history wasn't on his dossier! My emotions were beginning to swell, I could feel the lump forming in my chest as I listened to his words. I tried to shove them aside, he was trying to make me feel better but after his tale with his own crew… Val strained a smile at me.

"Yeah. Mat'al's Mantis was strong enough but he was not shooting fast enough to get through her damn barrier. Every gun with disrupter ammo was on that barrier when she was charging you but nothing. Shayan's Indra doesn't back a punch, but it's the only automatic sniper we had. Also the biggest clip we have on a sniper," he turned to the stars again as someone walked through the dim mess hall. "Apparently, bullets flying through an overload field are more effective than our pathetic excuse for disruptor ammo. He didn't even empty his clip by the time he took the barrier down. You were struggling to your feet by that point. Shayan's perked up quite a bit since then, the crew are beginning to take him seriously now,"

"Are they now…? I'm relieved," I sagged against the pillow. Some good news at last! "At least something positive came from all this," Val finally turned to stare at me for a time, mandibles somewhat against his cheeks again if still sagging.

"Dell, a lot of good has come out of this," Val sighed as he leaned his elbows on the edge of my bed. I tried to bat his words away. I didn't need pity… but dammit I needed any and all good news I could get right now! "We have Saboteur parts we can study, parts that we haven't had to remove from you, we saved the Council from becoming Reaper chow and we took out about 70 indoctrinated servants. Dell, by turian standards you would be promoted for only losing one man through all of that," I remained silent, trying to swallow the tears trying to build up. Why was I getting so upset? Because I had heard some good news? Because someone else had shared their own pain? Had it really been worth it?

I nearly squeaked in surprise when Val leaned over, cautiously dragging me into a hug.

"We're here, Dell. You aren't fighting this Reaper alone, or these Saboteurs. We will lose more people and I'm sorry Dell, but we'll help you find a way to cope with it. I'm not going to lecture you to get back up on your feet and start gunning again. It took me 5 months before I led anything again and that was by force," his voice resounded, his soft skin at and around his neck rumbling with the flanging. I gently gripped his carapace. "You'll pick yourself up when you are ready. We'll be ready and eager to follow you when you do. I promise,"

I didn't even realise how tightly I was clinging to him until a dull ache spread up my arms. When I finally managed to stop burying my face in his neck, I was nearly horrified at the damp patches barely visible on the mucky copper flesh. A hand went to my eyes immediately, although I yelped when I touched it too hard. I flailed wildly, trying to stop the tears falling but the pain soared my hands away from my face. Dammit, Dell, stop it! All my attempts were abruptly halted when Val managed to grab my wrists, holding them still. I could only stare at him, my frame quivering as my emotions began crashing, my quiet façade cracking as the bottled emotions shattered free.

"You can cry, Dell," Val smiled faintly. He released one wrist reluctantly before his taloned hand slowly, lightly, brushed a tear from my face. "You're not a Reaper," I heard the words but it took several heartbeats before I understood them. Everything shattered.

I spent God knows how long crying, face pressed between Val's neck and carapace. The turian was quiet, listening to my uncontrolled babbling. It wasn't just Cailcero that surfaced. I lost count of how many times I begged for my mum, my dad, for family, for something old and familiar, something not related to the Reapers. Stress, mourning, fear, anger. Everything had broken.

Valérien stayed by my side through it all, ignoring how damp I was making his skin or how tightly my arms squeezed his neck. The only time he left my side was to secure the med bay door. He didn't want anyone to see me like this, not Mat'al not any other crew member. He wanted to protect my pride. Had I not been so wildly distraught, I would have kissed him.

By the time morning arrived, I couldn't even remember what time Val had left the med bay for some sleep. I scrolled through my datapad, trying to catch up on some news that wasn't related to our little incident at the Citadel. I had succumb to sleep at some point, waking to find Val gone but one last chocolate waiting for me on the bedside table. He must have kept one secreted away last night. Dammit, I had eaten every single chocolate apart from the one waiting for me this morning. That damned turian didn't even try to stop me! …I had to thank him next time I saw him.

I was amazed by how clear my head felt now, how light my shoulders were after nearly hurtling the weight onto Val last night. He had taken that burden and settled them on the floor somewhere, finally letting me relax as I sobbed my stupid eyes out. I had been expected to wake up and feel like a train had hit me, but here I was; lively, awake and probably the most relaxed I had been since… oh God, since Shepard's death I would say. I think Saere was surprised when she came in this morning. Especially when I greeted her. Gideon was perched on the bed beside me, doing something on his omni-tool. He was quiet, as if purposely trying to show Saere that he could behave. Saere had no reason to throw him out, especially with my sudden improvement, so she kept a close eye on the boy, desperate for any reason to hurl him out.

Don't get me wrong, I felt emotionally free and relived but I wasn't ready to face the crew and the burden that came with it. I was still afraid as to how they would receive me. I had abandoned the ground crew without putting measures in place and I hadn't given any orders to those on the walkway. My saving grace was Val's promise. It kept me glued to blind hope that it wouldn't be as horrible as I thought, that my 'sacrifice' to keep Saria distracted would be enough to hold their loyalty. Only time would tell.

"Someone looks perky today," I heard. I glanced up towards the door, spotting Shayan poking his head through the door. I gave him a smile.

"Nothing a hug and some words I've needed to hear can't cure," I responded, my voice quivering a touch. Shayan seemed to grin before he slipped in.

"Thought I would come in and say hi before I head to bed," he offered. "I'm… glad to see you talking again, Captain," My chest tightened at the words a touch.

"You don't need to worry, Shayan," I coughed, trying to clear my throat. I suppose I was still a touch emotional. Shayan seemed to smile as he took up the chair Val had been in several hours before. "Uh… Thank you," I added. Shayan jumped, staring at me with confusion.

"For what, Captain?" he asked, his voice carrying faint traces of panic. I smiled softly, trying to calm my bubbling emotions while being supportive. I was still captain, after all. I turned to Gideon and Saere.

"Can we get a few minutes, please?" I asked. I saw Gideon frown, ready to voice a complaint, although a quick inspection of Saere had him scurrying out the door with a yelp. Saere grinned at me.

"Certainly, Dell. I'll be back to give you your next painkiller dose soon," she responded with promise. I shuddered softly, already tasting the powdery pills on my tongue. I recovered just as the med bay door shut. Shayan looked up, jittery as he waited for my next words.

"For saving my life," I said. Shayan stopped them, quickly remembering at what point he could have helped me. I think I saw him flush under that mask. He clutched his hands between his legs, looking embarrassed.

"I-It was nothing, Captain. I-I wasn't just about to stand there and let you get hurt," he shuffled, unsure. "I'd… like to think that I've made everyone proud…"

"Shayan, you have made everyone proud, don't think you haven't. I owe you my life, after all," I soothed. Shayan seemed to offer a trivial smile.

"Well… I was thinking more of my father but… yeah, I guess I have," he rasped, struggling for words. I frowned a touch, confused.

"Your dad isn't proud of you?" I echoed.

"What? O-oh of course he is! Well, that's what he tells me but… you know, you tend to feel these things," he rolled a shoulder, shuffling wildly in his chair. I waited for him to continue. "Ah… well, m-my father was the head engineer on our Liveship, so he was in charge of keep the ship from falling apart. I looked up to him, he was a brilliant engineer. Nothing was beyond repair to him. But he was also a good soldier and he always told me when I was young he hoped I would follow in his footsteps…" Shayan sighed softly.

"But I wasn't good at that. I could fix anything, almost anything but I couldn't shoot, not easily. I…I had accidentally shot some people while we were trying to mine out an asteroid when geth attacked. I never ever really recovery from it," he smiled briefly, as if to hide his shame. "I was terrified, I-I just shot wildly and… well, after that, people hated me, so many wanted me off Idenna. I…" he sighed as he struggled for words, folding his hands together. "It happened again a few months before my Pilgrimage. My father tried to be supportive of me but I… I went on my Pilgrimage a little earlier than I should have, just to get away from them. I didn't think any ship would take me on after that,"

"Shayan, accidents happen. You were scared," I tried to reassure him, but my mind drifted to Feros, after Mat'al and I had nearly collapsed from exhaustion. I had been terrified but never shot wildly, Shayan seemed to be the opposite.

"I know but…" he sighed, almost annoyed. "I can't keep being so scared. I mean, I shot Corin when we were pulling you out of the Reaper too! I can't…" he held his head in his hands. I swallowed, afraid of upsetting him further. He had shot Corin? That explained why he was asking after him. "I was lucky. My grandmother was on the Moreh, not the Captain but she helped smooth things over with him. That and I managed to bring back more than enough spare parts and equipment to last our ship years," he shook his head. "I thought joining you would help me, that maybe I could change like you did but… but nothing happened. I'm still the same,"

I wasn't sure what to say to the quarian. I couldn't imagine what it was like, to be so ridiculed because of a mistake made in terror. I wanted to tell him he would get there but the words faltered on my tongue, confidence shaken. I couldn't compare to him. Well, technically I could but I was doubting whether that was the right thing or not. I bit my lip. Come on, Dell, be confident. He's been trying so hard; for himself, for me, for everyone around him. Val wouldn't lie, the crew still trusted me, even if I wasn't able to trust myself. I took a deep breath as I prepared the lecture, praying Shayan didn't laugh me off or hide in a corner.

"Shayan, I changed because I was forced to, not because I wanted to," I began slowly. Shayan managed to raise his eyes to mine. "I had been kidnapped by Blue Suns, abandoned on Feros, trapped on Virmire and strong-armed on the Citadel. I was forced into these situations by forces outside of my control and I don't think you have the will to be able to cope with that. I wouldn't want any of what I went through to happen to you. I was terrified, I was angry, I was confused. I think that treatment would break you, just like tried to break me.

"I am your captain, I am meant to be a figure of confidence and knowledge, of inspiration and encouragement. I try to reassure the crew as much as I can but had I not met you, I don't think that would be possible. You taught me how to be leader, as grudgingly as it was. I don't know what to suggest, Shayan. So for now, just keep doing what you are going. If anything goes wrong, I am here to help you, as well as Raisha and everyone else. You aren't alone here, Shayan, and I'm sure the crew are beginning to understand just how important you are. You are the real brains on this ship, not Mat'al or Raisha or myself. You keep the _Starquake_ running, you come up with the new designs for the battery systems, the weapons and the armour. People are noticing this, as the Citadel proves. You might not be a soldier, but my God, Shayan, you can problem solve like no one's business," I told him slowly.

I prayed it was enough. Shayan was quiet, contemplating. He glanced to the darkened mess hall, to Gideon bouncing on the table waiting to be let in, on the people wandering past. He fidgeted, thoughts in another world. He finally turned to me.

"They… are talking to me like they don't hate me, like I know what I'm doing…" he admitted. I managed a smile. "They… would really trust me? Like they trust you?" I tried not to flinch at the last question.

"Only time will tell," I answered sagely. Shayan was quiet for a time.

"…Thanks, Captain. You always seem to know what to say," He pushed himself up. "I'll… I'll try. Maybe by the time we beat the Reapers, I-I might be able to lead the engineers like you do the crew. H-Here of course! Not on the battlefield. B-Baby steps," he flailed slightly. I scowled softly, making him flush. He excused himself quickly before shuffling out the room, looking lost in thought.

If only he knew I just farted out whatever came to mind and prayed for the best. I wish I knew what to say to people in these situations.


	18. Chapter 18

Deep breaths, Endellion. Nice, deep breaths. I shook my shoulders out, gazing at the elevator before me. Gideon blinked up at me, confused as he shifted his gaze between myself and the elevator. Saere was doing God knows what in the med bay and the rest of the mess hall was pretty much empty. I had plenty of time, for now. With great care, I finally called the elevator. I regretted it instantly, but by the time it arrived, Gideon had already bounded in, playing chicken with the closing doors.

I really didn't need him risking his arm with the bloody elevator on top of returning to duty!

I had been in the med bay slightly longer than a week, if only because my hip had gotten mildly infected 4 days ago. Walking into the elevator, practically scruffing Gideon to keep him back from the door, I had almost wished I was in there longer. Anxiety bubbled under the surface, ready to tackle me to the ground. I rolled my shoulders as I released Gideon, the boy pouting up at me for ruining his game. If only I had the heart to scold him, I required my attention elsewhere. I was nearly bouncing from nerves by the time the door opened on the third floor.

Gideon, of course, ricochet out of the elevator, nearly crashing into poor Cassa'Avers, the quarian hurling curses in her native tongue as the boy tumbled wildly past her. I winced as I hesitantly stepped free from the elevator. It appeared to be quieter than what I was used to, although with rotation in place I was hardly surprised. Raisha was within the Control Ring, speaking to Arthan'Weer. I assumed Shayan was sleeping if the Lieutenant Commander was in charge of engineering. I spotted Val near the cockpit, on some kind of terminal. I really had to learn what everything was for, on top of everything else I still had to learn. I took another deep breath, noting no one had noticed my entrance. It was just like old times, Dell. Nice, calm breaths.

"I am resuming command," I called, surprised my voice could remember its usual thunder. The air fell still as people saw me. My resolve faltered. I could barely breathe.

"Good to see you up, Captain," I heard Val call. I nearly leapt out my skin, catching the grinning turian at the other end of the room. "I was wondering why your blond shadow had burst on the scene,"

"Shut up, Cops!" Gideon grumbled. I managed a scattered laugh, some tension easing out of my shoulders. Just like old times. I slowly walked to the Control Ring, lowering myself in the captain's chair. It felt the same, as if Raisha had not sat on it herself. I turned to the krogan beside me, trying to ignore the slight smile on her face.

"Raisha, bring me up to speed, please," I asked, settling myself down. Everyone returned to their duties, although there seemed be a slight buzz in the air now. The smile faded as she sighed quietly.

"I am afraid our situation is not… ideal. We managed to flee from 15 ships over the past 8 days but we are beginning to run short of fuel and food. The crew is on shift work with the rota here," Raisha answered simply, my datapad already filling up with reports and Christ knows what else. "We will need to stop soon though to allow the engineers time to examine the rotary and driver core, on top of which we need to test the batteries, shields, shuttles and stealth systems. The crew is more than unnerved, Endellion, I hope your presence help ease their fears," She added quietly, for my ears only. I sighed, already annoyed.

"Alright, alright," I stared at the datapad, dread filling me. "Where is the ideal place to refuel, restock and examine the rotary and engines?"

_"There are several systems we can jump to in a few days' time. Omega may not be a horrible shout either. All sorts of people go to Omega, we won't stand out,"_ I heard Lanster remark. I flicked a smile.

"Good to hear your voice after 3 days, Lanster. Where have you been?" I asked, my tone mockingly shocked.

_"Sleeping and piloting the ship. What have you been doing?"_ he laughed, as if he had won the 'debate' already. I rolled my eyes.

"Sleeping and cursing your name. Seriously, how many barrel rolls do you need to do in one day?" I countered.

_Hey, hey, hey, hey! Hey. Don't diss the barrel rolls. They're awesome,"_ he scolded playfully.

"I doubt it is very forgiving to the rotary system, however," I raised an eyebrow, finally relaxing into the chair. Val smirked at me, smug. I stuck my tongue out at him. Val laughed. I heard Lanster hum and haw nervously over the intercom, further widening my grin. I suppose Val was telling the truth…

"Good to see you back in good spirits, Endellion. We were afraid you would be otherwise preoccupied," Raisha smiled. I hmmed slowly.

"I can't keep kicking myself, no matter how much I want to, Raisha," I sighed as I returned my datapad to my pocket. "I am the captain, I need to be a figure of strength. I'll find a way to cope with what happened, but for now, I need to try and keep as many people alive as I can. Now then, back to a rundown crew, a ship ready to fall apart, low supplies and fleeing every ship we run into," I flicked a dry smile. "Honestly, the only thing that could make this whole situation better is-"

_"Incoming! Hostile ship off the starboard side! Battle stations, all crew to battle stations!"_ Lanster called over the intercom. I popped my jaw as sirens and lights blared around, sparing Raisha an exhausted, annoyed expression.

"My ass is in this chair for 10 seconds and we're under attack? Seriously!" I groaned loudly. I heaved myself to my feet as people ran around me. "Lanster, report!"

_"Salarian frigate, Captain. Running a scan on it now,"_ Lanster said. I felt the _Starquake_ surge forward, the engines warming up for FTL. I screeched when the whole ship rocked and the _Starquake_ swerved hard. It nearly sent me crashing on my side.

"Shields at 60%! Direct hit on starboard side!" someone called from another panel.

_"Spirits, this guy is quick!"_ Lanster growled. I turned my gaze to the window, spotting the sleek, silver ship mirroring us as we swerved to avoid the hail of bullets following us. I threw my arms out as a round struck the _Starquake_, sending us jittering. I grit my teeth. A fan-bloody-tastic first day back on duty! My earlier fear about the crew's loyalty was long forgotten. _"Ship scan is done… Ah, shit,"_

"You better have a good reason for swearing with Gideon in the CIC," I growled as I regained my balance. Spotting the boy near the stairs as my panic swelled. How could I forget about him?!

_"…Does a Spectre count as a good reason?"_ Lanster asked. I was silent for a time, letting the word sink in.

"Fuck," I concluded. Raisha frowned at me. Severely. "Get us out of here, Lanster!"

_"I can't! We can't swerve otherwise the position gyros don't settle properly. We could jump into the middle of a sun or something! And that ship is helluva lot faster than the _Starquake_! What happened to replacing the engines anyway?!"_ Lanster grunted as the _Starquake_ rolled around a rogue asteroid.

"We got a bit side-tracked by merc missions, a derelict Reaper and a Saboteur to kill!" I cursed as the _Starquake_ rumbled again.

"Shields at 20%!" the voice rang out again.

I grit my teeth. As soon as we start firing back, news would spread quickly that the _Starquake_ was threat. We weren't simply trying to escape like terrified children on the run. We were fighting back, with lethal force no less, and they would send bulkier ships, more experienced Spectres, everything! What do I do?! I couldn't sit here and let my crew die but we couldn't flee, not like this! The activity in the CIC was rampant, the noise level unbearable. That Spectre had a crew, they had families. I had just lost a crew member of my own, I knew the pain… dammit, I had to make a choice…

"Warm up the main gun! Everyone to combat stations! Let's see how this ship fares in a fight!" I cried over the noise. A new siren bleared out, a flashing red light staining the entire CIC as the ship's VI rang out with 'All crew to combat stations. All crew to combat stations'. My anxiety only skyrocketed. "Valérien!" I cried in near panic. Through the mass of bodies, I was able to make out the turian battling his way to me, giving out orders as he passed someone. I was quivering by the time he got to me.

"Yes, Captain?" he asked formally. I swallowed, trying to keep my nerve through the light and noise.

"You have more space combat experience than me, make sure we get out of this in one piece," I told him, pleaded him. The plates on his face set rigid, his mandibles snapped to his cheeks.

"Aye, aye, Captain. We'll get out of this," he saluted. He turned from me. "Aroqoul, get the rear artillery lined up! Lanster, first opportunity, whip this bird around and line up the main cannon and disengage the rotary! Shual, Iona, Eriea, arm the secondary guns, we can't let those bastards hit us while the rotary is disengaging! Arthan, divert all non-critical power to the shields!" he thundered.

I was so glad I had Val here to show me how this is done.

Within a few seconds, brilliant streaks of light ripped free from small guns behind the rotary, on the tail. The Spectre ship swerved wide, disengaging from the chase for a time. I shuddered a breath free. They hadn't been expecting that. I yelped and grabbed my chair as the _Starquake_ spun on a penny, the engines rotating on the rotary to spin and correct us. I saw the Spectre ship, a shuttle-cock shaped ship with a large loop extending from the sides to curl high around the back of the ship. The wings blended into the ship, rushing back to match the flared rear end of it.

The main cannon fired, a brilliant orangey-red beam and soared towards the Spectre ship. It dived to avoid the hit, although we managed to clip part of the shields near the wing. I looked behind me as the rotary disengaged, the large Ferris wheel taking itself apart. I held my breath as the secondary guns, located on the sides, opened fire on the Spectre ship. We were sitting ducks until that rotary disengaged! The ship swerved hard to line its main gun at us.

"Divert power to the shields! All power to shields!" Val cracked over the noise. I was clinging to the back of chair as terror crept up. I could only watch helplessly as the Spectre's ship released its round at us.

The resounding hit sent the entire ship rocking like an earthquake. I practically screamed as my knees caved and dumped me on the floor. Warning sirens added to the noise, my already scrambled mind now cranked into overdrive as I was on the fringes of hyperventilation. First day back on duty… goddam it!

"Report!" I demanded, panic staining my voice.

_"Hull breech on deck 4 and 5. The shields took an absolute hammering, managed to absorb 79% of the hit though. The _Starquake_ is fine, he didn't hit the engines!"_ Lanster answered over the intercom. I barely heard him, straining to hear him over the sirens, clattering feet and raised voices. _"Rotary disengaged, back to evasive manoeuvres!"_

The _Starquake_ surged forward, tearing through space as it avoided a second round from the Spectre ship. Glancing behind us, I prayed that the disengaged form was quicker. I should have realised that I was being a retard. The Spectre was keeping pace more than happily, it could have easily overtaken us if it wanted to. I realised our engines severely restricted the _Starquake's_ speed and we were classed as a large frigate but still, Lanster was a damn good pilot and he was struggling to shake him.

I braced as the barrel roll pinned me to the floor. Our rear cannons were working overtime but it wasn't enough I frantically cast my eyes around the darkness and speckled light, looking for something, anything, to help us! We dived and swerved as we passed what appeared to be the wreckage of an old ship thousands of years old. It took a few hits for us, for which I was eternally grateful. Our shields were still trying to recover. I finally caught something at the corner of my eye, something brilliant in colour.

A mass relay.

No, that wouldn't help! Mass relays always dumped you in the same place! Dammit, we couldn't out-speed these guys, can't out-gun them, can't out-smart them- …or could we? I turned back to the mass relay, my mind running a thousand miles per second. Mass relays always dumped you by another relay, but would it be possible to…

"Lanster! Get towards that relay!" I cried out.

_"Captain, that isn't going to help! They'll just follow us through-"_ Lanster grunted.

"No, no, no, no! Make it _look_ like we are going to use relay but don't! Let's see if we can make those guys use it instead!" I almost pleaded with him. It was the only thing I could think of! I didn't even know how mass relays worked! There was a slight pause.

_"Captain, you are a bloody genius! Start to use the relay but cancel at the last second! That close to us they'll struggle to cancel the jump themselves! C'mon people! Time to do what we were always told not to do in flight school! Let's play Sawswa with a relay!"_ I stared blankly at the rabble before me, utterly confused.

"That's play chicken to you and me, Captain!" Henry cried from a nearby terminal. I sighed in relief.

"Everyone is going to have to take a course in human phrases and sayings! Seriously!" I wailed.

The _Starquake_ was making a shaken line towards the Mass relay, avoiding whatever the Spectre shot at us while trying to line up for the relay wasn't exactly easy, I guessed. The Spectre ship must have realised our 'plan' since I heard someone say 'Enemy ship preparing to FTL'. I was sweating, panic rising. I could almost hear Nyryntha purr in my head. I swallowed, the thought turning my blood cold. The _Starquake_ hummed as if preparing for FTL, the engines roaring in preparation.

We reached the relay, the electrical blue arcs reaching for us. We dived, freeing ourselves from its influence. The Spectre ship swerved but the relay still launched it forward a good click or two. They must have shut the engines off to cancel the FTL since the engines had lost nearly all of their light. We saw the rear end as the ship wobbled, trying to regain its orientation. I wasn't about to give it that chance.

"FIRE!" I roared.

Immediately, the secondary cannons released a hail of bullets as Lanster yanked the nose – bow whatever it was called – up. The main battery thundered through the whole ship as it released two rounds. I nearly cried when I saw the main engine, a large circular thing, explode. The secondary cannons were more than enough to handle the rest of the engines. The lights died on the ship, the smouldering rear-end superficial at best, but they were floating, helpless… all those people, running rampant on that ship. Terrified, angry, hopeless. Awaiting death…

Dammit, Raisha was right. My compassion was going to get me killed!

"Ceasefire!" I called. I felt – rather than heard – the hum of confusion as the cannons fell silent. I swallowed with difficulty, reeling in the immediate effect of my words. "Report on the enemy's status," I waited, trying to catch my breath. People were staring at me, frowning and confused.

_"Scan complete, Captain. Looks like a complete electrical failure. We must have hit the drive core or the main electrical systems,"_ Lanster answered. I bit my lip.

"Re-engage the rotary, get a little closer," I ordered. I closed my eyes, trying to settle my shoulders. A robotic crackle in the back of my mind informed me Nyryntha was hardly happy. I shook it off. When I opened my eyes, the rotary was back up and we were slowly cruising closer to the downed ship. I didn't see any escape pods being released. I went to a nearby panel, bring up the cameras.

I saw the faces of the crew in the windows, the salarians staring at us like we were a great white shark preparing to finish them. There were some running in the distance, to help put out fires or whatnot, but for the most part they were waiting. Waiting for us to finish them. Dammit, these people had families! I grit my teeth as the _Starquake_ swung around to face the bow. I abandoned the console, running up the stairs to the cockpit. Lanster and Mari T'Seir glanced at me as I stood behind Lanster's chair, eyes out the window.

I think I saw the Spectre then. It was hard to see from here, but even I wasn't blind to the still expression with determination lining hate, fear, whatever it was. The brownish-grey salarian, almost a mucky human skin-tone, keeping his gaze on the bow of the _Starquake_. I breathed heavily, torn. He was just doing his job. The Council ordered my arrest, he was a Spectre, of course they wound send them for me.

"Can they release an SOS system?" I asked. Lanster glanced at me, mandibles pinned to his cheeks.

"If they can't release escape pods, unlikely," he answered slowly. I bit my lip. Had I doomed these people? Without power, they would be out of oxygen in a few days… My shoulders sagged. I wasn't cut out to be a merciless murder.

"We have spare, re-code one of our SOS beacons, drop it out and get us out of here," I ran a hand down my face.

"B-But Captain, he just tried to-" Lanster stammered.

"Lanster!" I snapped, already wishing I hadn't left the med bay. "I gave you an order," I finished more gently. The charcoal turian stared up at me. He nodded slowly.

"Aye, aye, Captain," he said slowly. He began typing on his flight computer. "But this will come and bite us in the ass later,"

"I know," I sighed. "Thanks," I abandoned the cockpit, trying to shake the guilt, the worry, off my shoulders.

"You're letting then _live_?" I heard someone snap as I reached the bottom. I frowned, watching Iona storm over to me, her plated face furious. "They tried to kill us and you are just going to let them go?" I sighed, my shoulders still sagged from earlier. I felt drained already.

"Yes, problem?" I asked tiredly.

"They wanted to kill us! These guys don't know mercy! He'll turn around and try to kill us later! You would risk all of us because you feel guilty, sorry for them?!" she gawked. I rubbed my eyes, hardly in the mood to deal with Iona today. Since being Captain, she hardly said more than 2 words to me. I preferred it that way.

"The instant I lose my sense of mercy is the instant I lose my humanity," I growled. "They are just doing their job-"

"And that involves the risk of being killed! They will kill us in a heartbeat next time!" Iona roared. I frowned, my anger burning my tiredness away for a time.

"I am not a Reaper!" I snapped. Iona opened her mouth. "And I will not drop to their fucking levels if I can avoid it! If you don't like it, there is a perfectly good airlock you can shove yourself out of!" I spared her a venomous stare before marching back to the Control Ring. "I need full damage and injury reports. I want out of this system ASAP,"

_"SOS Beacon is away, Captain. Preparing to FTL,"_ Lanster informed, although his tone seemed off. I didn't think he was pleased.

"Thanks, Lanster. Much appreciated," I rubbed my eyes as I all but collapsed into the chair. First half hour back and I was already dead.


	19. Chapter 19

_The Timeline has been updated for this chapter. Please see profile for the link._

* * *

I carefully sucked in a breath as I paced the length of my room, agitation mounting with each moment. I had been expecting this, had been waiting painfully for this but it only appears now? He didn't try to contact me before the whole Citadel affair? I growled, mandibles clicking violently as I paused by the screen of the computer, the message clear as day to me.

Why would he wait so long to get in touch with me? I had left the Cabals months ago! Months! And now he decides to contact me… I abruptly halted my pacing, running my hands down my face. Dell would divert the ship for this, I knew she would but… dammit, this had to be some kind of trap. It had to be! I re-read the message, almost hearing the voice of the man who wrote it droning in my ear. A meeting, he just wanted to meet? I snarled, frustrated beyond words. Why would my father wait this long to get in contact with me for just a meeting?!

And my father at that. I had been expecting mum to contact me, a tear ridden plead to come home. I sighed as I dropped a hip, holding my face in one hand. I was over-thinking things, but I couldn't risk it. There was too much at stake if I got Dell into a situation she couldn't pull us out from. I bit down on a talon, nearly grinding it off completely as I struggled to understand my father's motive for this. Nothing was springing to mind.

I tried to distract myself by readying my armour, checking each clamp meticulously. We had been heading in the vague direction of Omega for some time but to actually stop in Omega? And why Omega? My father in the Terminus Systems? That didn't sit right with me. I checked myself over once more, making sure I hadn't forgotten something important in my flurry of frustration.

Abandoning my room, I reluctantly made my way to the elevator. It was 7am, Dell would still be asleep for at least another half hour, with any luck. I wouldn't need to bother her with this for now. The last week had been rough, I admitted, despite every attempt to keep spirits up.

The Spectre ship hadn't reappeared and we received no word on their status. Probably for the best, if you asked me. I understood Dell's reasoning for letting that ship go, her compassion was too great an obstacle for her, but I hardly agreed. I don't think anyone did. I clicked my mandibles as I strode out into the Mess Hall, quiet as the change-over was more or less completed. I promised Dell I would support her but… maybe a gentle talk about when to exercise mercy was needed. Although I would need to ask Raisha or Mat'al if they had already given her one. She didn't need to be bombarded.

Aside from that, we had more ships we were able to flee from and one major skirmish which left one of the flared plates in a sorry state. The repairs to Deck 4 and 5 were still trying to be squeezed in with the rest of the ship's repairs. We were so used to the freedom of stopping whenever we wished to repair or maintain anything. Now that we couldn't stop, the _Starquake_ was crumbling by the seams. I didn't envy Dell right now.

I grabbed whatever breakfast I could rummage up and dropped beside Lanster, the pilot holding his head with the heels of his hands. I knew the turian well enough to know to leave him be. Startling him now tended to put him in a rotten mood until he got back to bed. I shuddered at the 'food', if it could be called that, as it practically killed every taste bud I had. I couldn't be picky though, we were too short on food to be picky now. I looked forward to when Lanster picked a stopping location for us. Or Dell, but she was still studying the galaxy map to learn where everything was.

"Just over two weeks in and I want to curl into a ball and die," Lanster finally sighed. I hmmed in agreement. "I wouldn't mind it so much if we could get a few days peace but every day, every night there is someone out there gunning for us,"

"It's taking its toll on all of us, Lanster," I grumbled. "Hell, trying to keep the guns manned and maintained is hard enough as it is. One of the secondary guns is cracking,"

"I know, I know. Don't tell Dell though. She had a horrible freak out when she went to bed last night. There was a lot of tears, a lot of screaming," Lanster admitted. I frowned at the dark turian. I didn't hear anything last night. I knew Lanster was able to hear and see everything on the _Starquake_ but why would he…

"Raisha?" I asked, figuring the krogan was concerned about Dell's health. Lanster shook his head.

"Indira," Lanster took a long drink from his coffee cup. My brow plates rose in surprise. "Indira is trying to keep her sane but I think Dell is getting too overwhelmed by the space battles. The lights, the noise, the crush and rush of people… you see it in her face. And with Raisha and Mat'al now on night shift, Dell just has us to keep her going,"

"What about Gideon? Where was he? I doubt she would flip with him there," I winced as I nearly scalded my tongue on the coffee. Lanster snorted softly, a small smile flitting his face.

"He was down in engineering, trying to help Shayan repair parts of the _Starquake_," Lanster grinned. I nearly gawked. "Again, don't tell Dell. That _will_ send her in a fit. Nothing big, mind you, small repairs like cables and small replacements in to pipes and such like. When he is a little better trained, I think Shayan wants him in the vents. He's the perfect build for it,"

"Dell will lose her shit…" I agreed slowly. Dell, to put it mildly, was progressively becoming more and more protective of the boy with each passing day. I don't think Gideon minded either, which didn't help matters. She fussed over his well-being at every turn. I remembered her voicing concerns over his education a few days ago. It wasn't something we had put much thought into until it was slowly dawning on us that Gideon might be staying. I swirled the coffee in the cup, frowning. "I'll keep it quiet, just make sure the engineers keep quiet about it,"

"Shayan has already said. Gid wants to help and we need every extra hand we can get. The hull breech is going to take weeks at this rate. We need new plating," Lanster ran his hands over his crest. "Among other things," he downed the rest of his coffee. "Ah well, better let Sershin get off then. I wonder how many people we'll run into today…" he grumbled as he shoved himself to his feet. I sighed, wondering the same. I shook my head, to shake off the dread before following Lanster to the CIC.

Within a few minutes, I already had several reports about the main battery's terrible alignment, the rear cannons' wear and tear and the secondary guns' misfiring issues. I also had the joy of trying to help balance power as the shield generators struggled to get enough power to keep the ship safe. Why was the main battery drawing so much power? Dammit, there was something else for the engineers to look at, especially if I couldn't find the issue here. I grumbled as I stared over the numbers, frustrated by the lack of data we had. The _Starquake_ wasn't the highest in terms of tech, it had been a prototype but still, power sensors needed to be everywhere, not just some spots!

"Gideon, by the Goddess, be careful!" I heard someone cry, an asari. I peeked over my shoulder to see the blond devil skid to a stop in the CR, the look of utter innocence on his face. Dell slunk behind him, rubbing her eyes with the heel of her hands.

"I ain't doing anything-" Gideon began.

"Gideon, enough. I've had to deal with enough of your crap this morning already," Dell commanded tiredly. Gideon pouted, but he hushed. I sighed heavily. And it looked like we would have to babysit Gideon on top of everything else. Why didn't she leave the kid with Satrino to take to the human embassy? This was no place for a child. Dell dropped herself into the captain's chair, bringing up the galaxy map.

I suppose I should ask her now before she starts making plans…

"Morning, Dell," I greeted as I abandoned one of the power system terminals. Dell flicked me a smile, strain lines marring her forehead slightly.

"Morning. Anything to report?" she asked. I nearly bit my tongue to shut myself up.

"Just the usual, wear and tear," I answered simply. Dell hmmed as she stared at her datapad, Gideon mesmerised by some of the terminals near to him. I scowled as I scruffed the boy. He yelped in surprise. "Bugger off for a while, you little terror," Gideon squirmed in my grip.

"Let me go, you fat bird!" he cursed, trying to release my grip on the back of his shirt. I glanced to Dell as her eyes lit up slightly. I grinned, catching sight of Verv and Shaul nearby.

"Go play with a krogan for a while," I threw the boy in their direction. He squealed helplessly before Verv snatched him out the air. Gideon stared up at the blue crested krogan, eyes wide. The two krogan grinned slowly, giving each other a knowing look.

"Rancid varren!" Verv laughed as he tossed Gideon to Shaul. Gideon cried out helplessly, begging for freedom as the pair tossed him between them. I sighed in relief when I heard Dell's joyous laughter, a well needed sound in the CIC. Gideon cursed the krogan and pleaded to Endellion to help, but with most of the CIC walking around with their first grins in a week on their faces, I doubted anyone was going to interfere.

"Bless him, you wonder why he doesn't have a phobia of krogan," Dell smiled. I grinned at her.

"Gideon's a good sport," I answered. Dell snorted, amusement chasing the strain from her face for a time. "I have… a favour to ask, Dell," I coughed, shuffling before the human. Dell stared up at me, curious.

"Depends. What kind of favour?" she asked slowly. I couldn't even flick a brief smile.

"My… father has been in touch. He wants to meet me. On Omega," I managed. Dell was silent, the smile gone from her face despite the commotion nearby.

"I was under the impression you and your father were not… close," she hinted gently.

"We're not," I admitted reluctantly. "But I have no idea why he would meet me, on Omega no less," I nearly grumbled, my earlier frustration surfacing.

"We are on the run from the Council, Val. Maybe he understood going home was nearly impossible for you?" she offered. I snorted sourly. The one time Dell makes sense!

"Maybe, but still, it's unusual. I want to see what he wants… stopping in Omega would give us the chance to restock and repair what damage we can as well," I shrugged, struggling to find other reasons to divert. Dell was mute for a time, staring at me with almost a vacant expression. I started to wonder if she had woken up yet…

"Morning, Sunshine, give me an ETA to Omega," Dell called. I heaved a breath, tension crawling over my shoulders.

_"Morning, Dell. About 3 hours, Captain. Should I chart a course?"_ Lanster responded after a moment, coughing when he remembered the 'captain'. Dell scowled tenderly as drummed her fingers on the arms of her chair, chewing her lip gently.

"Get that course plotted, Lanster. Indira!" Dell commanded. Within seconds of Lanster signing off, the bouncing drell was by her side, hands clasped behind her back as she leaned down to Dell's height.

"Ah yes, Captain?" she drawled. Dell flattened her expression. Indira just grinned widely.

"I need requisition orders in ASAP. We're stopping in Omega for a time. Warn the engineers, they'll want to do some repairs. Nothing major, however. I doubt we will be there for long," she turned to me. "Will we be there for some time?" I wanted to shake my shoulders to ease the tension, but I didn't want to give her the wrong impression.

"Hopefully not," I said carefully. She nodded slowly before giving a firm nod to Indira. The drell bounded away. "Thanks Dell, the sooner I clear this up, the better," I added. She managed a small smile, attention dragged back to Gideon who had managed to cling to Verv's crest, flailing his legs wildly as the krogan tried to pry him off.

"Alright gentlemen, enough," Dell called. I chuckled mildly at the complaints from the krogan and the cheer of relief from Gideon.

I left Dell to her duties, though I was struggling to find ways to distract myself for the next few hours. Blessedly, Arthan had more than enough work in regards to maintenance and that blasted power draw. I was neck deep in artillery oil in about 15 minutes and spent a good 2 hours in there, tearing apart the main gun as I tried to find the electrical fault Arthan was picking up. It didn't fix the problem – not completely – but I had to clean this oil off of me before heading to the airlock.

I had barely gotten my armour back on when Dell called out for the shore party to assemble by the airlock. I grabbed my guns before scrambling to the airlock, gritting my teeth as a quiver shook my spine. Dell was waiting, suited up, with Verv, Corin, Eriea and Xervus. I frowned at the small party but at this point, I was in no position to argue, I called for the detour after all. Indira bounced nearby although she wasn't suited up to leave.

"And don't forget, Dellion, don't talk to people, ignore everything, watch your pockets and you can pull your gun out, it's very common here," Indira finished. Dell snorted a laugh.

"Thanks. Have fun babysitting," she grinned. Indira winked.

"We'll have a blast! Lanster is going to go crazy when we jack his chair," Indira laughed.

_"Hey! Leave my chair alone! What did it ever do to you?!"_ Lanster cried over the intercom. Indira smirked, already plotting her next move. Dell patted her shoulder as she stepped into the airlock. I reluctantly followed.

"You alright?" I asked quietly. Dell snorted.

"When we get stocked up and back on the move, I'll be fine," she responded, smiling briefly in an attempt to ease my fears. I simply grimaced as we stepped out onto Omega.

I was determined to prevent a repeat of Illium here. I kept a close eye on Dell's position as she tried not to gape at the landscape, the towering metal structures that plunged into oblivion and soared to the stars. The dark, rusty coloured atmosphere never helped Omega's image of a rough, crime riddled place. Omega had once been an asteroid, now repurposed after it had been mined out into a city. I had been here once and to be honest, that was more than enough. The red lights stained everything a rust colour, the air was heavy and made Eriea cough violently at times, the stench was something else, curling more than a few toes. Omega was a more rundown, rough version of Illium; a wolf without the sheep's clothing as the humans say.

The address my father had given me wasn't somewhere I was familiar with. We had docked near the Kima District and were currently heading towards the edge of it but the only part of Omega I was familiar with was Tuhi District. Maybe that's why Dell brought Verv, the krogan appeared to know the area, guiding us around swells of people and dodging the more… unsavoury areas. My knees were nearly shaking by the time we stopped outside the address my father had left me. It looked like an ordinary building, built into the towering wall of the tower, nothing usual about it other than it looked reasonably dilapidated…

"Alright, I'll be a few minutes. We'll head back once I'm done," I assured. Dell crossed her arms loosely, leaning against the wall.

"We'll be here," she said with purpose. "Any trouble, Val, any at all and we break the door down. Do I make myself clear?" I frowned at the human. "You honestly think I haven't feared that this is a Spectre trap, Val?" I… shit, I didn't think of that!

"I'll be a few minutes," I repeated, although my anxiety had rocketing through to the stars. With reluctance, I popped the door open and forced myself through the door, abandoning the protection of the group behind me.

The room was bare as if the building had been abandoned and gutted out like a fish. The brown walls were peeling to reveal the metal skins under the paint, the carpet was ripped and stained. I gagged on the smell at first, warily assessing the room. Most of the doors had been blocked off apart from one which looked like it led to a second door to the outside. The windows were boarded up and kept the room in shadow. Only a lone lamp in the corner of the room supplied a meagre light.

"So you came," the deep flanged voice called. I sucked in a lungful of air, turning to left side of the room. There he was, the muted and pale copper coloured bastard himself. Nertius Autillin. I snapped my mandibles to my cheeks in agitation as he pushed himself off the wall, taking two steps towards me before stopping. I hadn't inherited his height, he was a good head and a half taller than I. It always bothered him, for some obscure reason. He looked absolutely livid, mandibles snapping hard against his cheeks and plates drawn taut into frowned creases. I rolled my shoulders back as I crossed my arms.

"Father," I greeted coolly. He didn't respond immediately, his green marks becoming dark streaks in the dull room.

"Where did I go wrong, why do you constantly disappoint me?" he rumbled. I released a sour breath. Here we go already… "A vigilante, assisted murderer… taking orders from a human? A child no less! Have you no shame, no pride?" he growled as my blood began to boil.

"Shaik is the leader you never could be," I growled, clenching a fist. The resounding crack of his mandibles ignited his fury.

"Coming from you? You have no right to speak of things I never could be! A failure at school, demoted twice because of the utter catastrophe that is your ability to recognise authority, thrown out of the military because of your… biotics," he hissed with disgust. "You even abandoned your own Cabal team and ignored summons from the Hierarchy! You were supposed to attain what I could not! Now look at you! Not even worth the air you breathe, I didn't think you could do our family name any worse!"

"You have another son and 2 daughters, father," I snarled. "Oseriun is already a commander!"

"Your bastard brother?" Nertius snorted acidly.

"I can hardly blame mum for sleeping with a better man," I snapped. "Uncle Mac was always quite the catch-" I was cut short by my father crossing the distance between us, expression thunderous.

"Your uncle is dead and scattered, just as he should be," he hissed venomously, millimetres off my face. I snorted, matching his molten eyes.

"What, are you jealous your little brother was able to make such a great man and yet this is the best you could do?" I held my arms out as I fumed. Nertius breathed heavily for a time, reining his temper in. At least I know where I got that from, at the very least. He finally seemed to calm down. A bit anyway.

"Yes," he began slowly, calmly. I frowned. "I did make you, didn't I?" he stalked away for a time, thoughtful. "You were to be a commander, a general, anything higher than I. That is what a father wants, his children to succeed where he failed, to bring pride to the family," he clicked his mandibles. I shuffled my weight cautious. The Lieutenant was silent, pondering silently.

"Well, I'm a commander now," I added sarcastically. He laughed harshly.

"The only way you would be a commander, boy," he snarled. "Is by sleeping with that ape! How was that, by the way? My only experience of humans is after I've but a bullet in their heads," My hackles rattled furiously.

"Why does everyone assume I have slept with Dell? Dammit, can't you believe that I might have earned this legitimately?" I demanded. Nertius snorted sourly as he picked up a glass of water from the boarded up window sill.

"No," he answered simply. "That is simply impossible," he stalked slowly to me.

"So what, you just called me here to yell at me for a while? To have me arrested or to drag me in front of mum or the Hierarchy and shame me?" I yelled. Nertuis stopped before me, eyes hard.

"No. You've shamed myself, your sisters and your mother far too many times. Even she has decided enough is enough," he answered calmly, his earlier rage now tamed with contempt. I stared, confused. My mother wouldn't say anything like that… "I brought you here to see for myself what kind of monster you had become, to see what I had created and raised. The son your mother and I poured so much of our love and care into… At least I can see you with clear eyes now. This is probably my fault for giving you so much leniency growing up. Your sisters have proven that. No, I made the problem, therefore it is my duty to deal with the problem,"

"Father… ?" I asked slowly, a cold chill clambering down my spine. He turned, walked a few steps away from me.

"That, Valérien, is the last time you'll call me that," he said, cool as ice. I froze, gaping after him. What was he- "You have brought so much shame to the family I wonder how your sisters will cope with having such a stain on the Autillin name, how will they be able to ascend their careers? No… I cannot let everything our family has done, everything we have worked for to be for naught! Enough is enough!" he thundered, throwing the glass of water at me. Frozen as I was, it smashed in my face, soaking my entire face.

"You bastard!" I cursed, nearly doubling over as the sharp pain hit me. "What the fuck is w-ah… ahhh," I gagged, my words halted as a new pain took hold.

A tingling pain, igniting everything it touched into a molten pool of lava. It was then that glass wasn't holding water…

I screamed, I somehow found myself on the floor, instinct demanded I hold my face, to cover the burning pain. I only made the problem worse, the armour covering my hands succumbing, smoking, burning. I screeched, feeling scalding cold liquid leak between my plates, to the delicate skin beneath. I couldn't see, couldn't think, I was overridden by a rocking, scorching pain.

A loud crash dragged some sense back to me, back from my blind madness. I heard Endellion's cry of horror and a krogan's roar of rage. I felt hands on me, desperately clawing my burning hands away from my face.

"What the fuck ha-" Xervus began.

"Acid! Fuck, it's melting his face! Get him up, get him up! Come on!" Corin cried. My pained screams heightened as the two turians hauled me up. I couldn't see, but I think they had slung me between them, holding my hands away from my face.

"Captain, come on, leave him!" Eriea called, the air rushing past me as I was hauled away from the building was like adding salt to a wound. I thrashed, screeching as the darkness, the pain, drove me mad. Heavy footfalls sounded behind me soon after as we tore off down the streets.

I heard three blasts of gunfire behind me as I was carried in my dark, pain ridden world.


	20. Chapter 20

"Saere!" I howled, bursting out of the elevator on the 5th floor. Corin and Xervus followed hastily behind, hauling Val between them. Their faces were contorted from the effort to hold him. It had only been 15 minutes, if that, but Val hadn't stopped screaming or thrashing, it was drilling into the back of my mind like a parasite. I burst into the med bay, nearly thrown to the side by the two turians lugging Val in. I danced by the door helplessly as Val was lowered to a bed.

"What happened?" Saere asked, downing her surprise as she yanked on her surgical gloves and already zoning in on the problem. It was hard to miss with the pale smoke coming off his face and amour. Well, not smoke, just melting ski- Oh Dell, shut up! I smashed my hands into my face.

"Acid attack, his old man threw it on him," Corin grunted.

I ran my hands through my hair, heart in my mouth as Saere grabbed a hose or something from the headboard of light. It was filled with water or something. She instructing Corin to rinse Val's face as she took a sample with a cotton wool bud, nearly ready to vault over the other beds in order to get to an analyser. Val's screams ran teamers down me, I didn't even mind Nyryntha purring in my head. I paced in the narrow gap I had by the door. Oh Saere, hurry! Throw some lime on his face for God sake! Saere was silent for a time, mandibles clicking before snapping loudly.

"Oh Spirits, how did he get his hands on this…" Saere whispered. My pacing halted, the room spinning as I struggled to breathe. "Ok, if we keep rinsing his face, the actual acid should leave superficial damage at best, turian skin is reasonably resistant to acid but these spores…"

"Spores?" I squeaked. Saere was quiet for a time before she reluctantly turned to me.

"Lymphas spores. They… are nasty, Dell. They originate from a flesh disintegrating fungus, commonly eating as deep as the bone. Without treatment, it can cause loss of touch and sensitivity, neurological damage, severe damage to platelet production as well as the loss of limbs and lead to all sorts of medical problems. They are only found on one of our more experimental colonies but they have monthly medication to deal with it. And with acid, the spores can…" Saere glanced to Val, the screaming dying down to a sobbing whimper. "The spores alone cannot function internally such as in the lungs or stomach, they need to be external and in open wounds, preferably infected ones. The acid is, well, giving these spores the open wounds they need to get in. Lots of open wounds, the skin under the plates is extremely delicate," she finished slowly. I gagged, my brain struggling to keep up.

"T-There's medication, yes?" I couldn't swallow, the panic was too strong.

"There is but we don't carry any, it isn't standard equipment. There'll be some on Omega, Lymphas infections are reasonably uncommon here and someone will sell some. But I would get some soon. With acid burns, a few hours can leaving horrendous damage," Saere explained, already digging through her cupboards.

"C-Can it kill him?" I asked, my voice tight as I forced the words out. Saere just looked at me, mandibles locked to her cheeks. My panic rose rocketed.

"Corin, Xervus, stay here with him!" I ordered as I dashed for the door. I burst out into the mess hall, skidding to a stop when I saw a large congregation waiting for me, curious people wondering what the screaming it about, some were still in their sleeping clothes. I tried to breathe through the darkness settling in on the edges of my vision. "I need people who know Omega to suit up now!" I demanded, nearly screamed. "I need medication for Lymphas spores and I need it now!" There was an uneasy silence as my words sunk in.

"I-I might know of a seller," Deolls Anoin coughed, the white speckled, grey salarian shuffled. "If not, then s-she might be able to point us to someone else-"

"Suit up, now!" I ordered. "Anyone else be at the airlock in 5 else you'll be left behind!" I charged for the elevator, my vision tunnelled.

His dad was trying to kill him, painfully kill him. What would possess any father to want to kill their own son?!

I danced outside the airlock, shifting my weight between my feet anxiously. Every second counted, the acid burns could be treated, I hoped, without too much scarring but… it was what lay beneath those copper plates that mattered. I paced violently as a small congregation of people began to gather. Deolls shuffled uncomfortably in the armour, although judging by the way he was giving looks to the others, he had decided to keep him mouth shut. The others who joined me included Phylla'Quines, Eshells Relola, Shaul and… Lanster? Why was Lanster suited up? I shook my head. No, don't question it, just accept it. I grit my teeth.

"Move out! Deolls, you're on point with me. Move it people!" I nearly roared. They had to sprint to catch up with me as I raced out of the docking bay.

Omega had fascinated me when I first came through here. It was grungy, dank, rust coloured and reminded me of every nasty area in every movie ever. It screamed 'lawless' and that was without the people strutting around with guns blatantly visible. In my current state, I was relieved. I doubted I could stop my trigger finger at this rate. Deolls desperately tried to keep up with me, following maps on his omni-tool.

We dived through alleys and drove people out of our paths. I was on a mission, as if my grit teeth and furious frown didn't already dictate. We broke out into a sparse pocket of open air, without the claustrophobic towers compacting us. There was a group of people here, turians, as they seemed to be debating about where to go. Upon hearing our sprinting steps, they noticed us. That was when they raised their guns, one turian in particular looked almost pleased.

"Freeze, Shaik!" he demanded, the sandy coloured turian pointing a pistol at me. I was unsure of the make. I skidded to a stop purely because of the sound of skidding feet and the clatter of guns behind me. I snarled as I yanked out my Carnifex.

"Move, turian, I am in no fucking mood!" I thundered. The team behind me gathered close, weapons drawn. Lanster sucked a breath in, muttering a curse in turian under his breathe. I ignored him, focusing on the white marked face of this blasted intruder in my warpath.

"And here we were struggling to locate you. Thank you for coming to us," the turian grinned. "Spectre Marruns Bellium, if you wish to know who is detaining you," I laughed sourly. A Spectre, just what I fucking needed!

"You are in my way, turian!" I seethed. "Move!" Marruns frowned, mandibles snapping to his cheeks.

"But of course, Shaik. Once you turn yourself and your ship over," he answered. I scrunched my face up, blinking as I growled. My rage slipped slightly as curiosity rose.

"Myself, I can understand but why the hell would you want my ship?" I demanded. Marruns laughed, almost triumphantly, holding his gun out as his men fanned out.

"For your data, of course. The Council has put quite a high reward for it, although they refused to say exactly what had gotten their interest. The physical ship is going on the scrapyard but the data will be preserved for whatever use the Council wishes. And you will spend a long, long time in prison," Marruns grinned slowly. Curiosity sated, my anger – my desperation – hammered down any rational thought that tried to form. "Oh I do love catching little criminals who think they are above the law-"

"My. Way," I hissed. He paused. "You're. In. It," I could barely speak, a red haze had fallen over my vision, the gun shaking from my taut grip. I had to find that medicine. I had to find it, had to get it, Val would-

"Are you even listening to me?!" he demanded. My fragile leash snapped.

"I said move!" I thundered.

My anger halted when one of the turians beside him collapsed to the ground, a resounding splat as his head exploded. I glanced to my crew as a storm of bullets rained down on Marruns and his crew. My crew frowned, turning to me and shrugging, their own guns silent. I returned to the scene, watching as Marruns and his remaining crew, dropping like flies, bolted for the nearest cover, crying a hasty set of commands. I suppose he thought we had reinforcements elsewhere.

"Damn you, Shaik! When I get my hands on you, I'm going to wring your neck!" he barked furiously. "Fall back! Fall back to the alley! We'll bunker down there!" He sprinted down an alley, his team returning fire on our mysterious intervention. The hail of bullets followed them down the alley, I had yet to locate their exact source, especially when an explosion closed off access to the alley from the square we were in.

I could still hear the fighting when a new turian emerged from a building, a sniper of some form resting on his shoulder. I rumbled, agitated beyond reasoning. Val, had to help Val, had to get that medicine!

"Having a bad day?" the new turian asked, amused. I snorted as I slammed my Carnifex back on its holster.

"I don't have time to deal with you, turian. I have precious little as it is!" I snapped. Got to get it. I had to get it! The turian paused for a moment before letting out a short chuckle.

"And where did this little thresher maw come from, hmm? The last time I saw you, you were shaking in the Normandy's airlock," the male turian remarked. I opened my mouth to respond, enraged, when his words sunk into my tunnelled mind. I stopped, utter side-tracked as I tried to return my head to a functioning state. The turian reached for his helmet, before pulling it free. I gaped at the silver coloured turian, the winter blue eyes bright and the blue markings on his face darkened in the rustic light.

"…Garrus?" I nearly squeaked. The turian grinned

"Long time no see, Dell. Been a while, hasn't it," he grinned, putting up his sniper. I was struggling to find words. First Liara and now Garrus? Why hadn't he been on the Normandy when it got attacked? I swallowed, my knees shaking.

"A-About 8 months?" I estimated. I coughed, trying to control the roller-coaster of emotions. I hadn't seen anyone from the Normandy, aside from Liara, since Noveria. I… never expected to run into any of them now. Especially now! Someone cleared their throat beside me. I leapt out of my skin before turning to Lanster.

"Captain…" he reminded gently. I stared, dumbfounded. Why was he… Running, we had been running. I had been angry, there had been fighting, screaming, Val-

Val!

"Fuck! Garrus, I'm sorry I can't talk I have to go!" I flailed, my panic rising up once more. How could I forget?! Val needed medicine! Those spores would eat his face! I felt someone take my flailing arms and still them, I was on the verge of hyperventilation before Garrus' voice broke though.

"Calm down, Dell. You always forget to breathe," he scolded softly. I quivered like a wild animal, the crew around me clicking their guns, unsure of how to respond. "Now, tell uncle Garrus what has gotten you so upset," he pressed gently. I couldn't even swallow. I gagged.

"M-Medication. I-I need medication for Val. I need it now before it eats his face!" I squawked. Garrus kept a firm hold of me, the only person willing to try and cross me while in such a mess.

"Medication for what?" Garrus pushed.

"L-Lymphas spores," I stammered. Garrus was silent for a moment before he clicked his mandibles and released my wrists. My hands buried themselves in my hair immediately, nearly pulling clumps out.

"Well, luckily for you, Archangel knows where you can get some. And if you ask nicely may even get you a discount," Garrus drawled. I gaped up at him, flabbergasted. Archangel? Who was Archangel? He knew where the medication was? "Right this way, little lady," He began walking away, well, strutting would be more accurate. My body was more attentive than my mind, since my legs responded and began chasing the turian. Garrus grinned at me before he matched my pace, leading me through Omega.

Garrus had to work to try and keep ahead of me, the cold panic returning as it drowned every sane thought from me. I shadowed Garrus, time all too clear to me like the ragged breath tearing past my aching throat. As we twisted down alleys as a shortcut, we eventually arrived at a small shop in some rundown part of town, the store actually had walls around it too. It was a batarian who ran it, the greenish skin taut over the folded skin, his four eyes almost bored as we tore in. His eyes lit up upon seeing Garrus though.

"Archangel! Long-time no see. How may I be of service?" he asked eagerly. Garrus was this Archangel? "I still need to repay you for saving my shop from those thugs,"

"Happy to help, Wrekon. My old friend here is in some need of some specialist medicine for a friend," Garrus answered, patting my quivering frame as if to settle me. The batarian stared for a time before turning to me. He shuffled his weight apprehensively for a time.

"Well, I normally don't serve humans but… ah fuck it. For you, Archangel, I'll make an exception. What do you need, human?" he asked, although his tone was borderline cold towards me. I could barely speak.

"I-I need medication for Lymphas spores, f-for a turian," I panted. I could hear Val screaming in my mind, my heart leaping at the sound.

"Internal or external use?" the batarian asked, rummaging around on some shelves stacked behind him.

"External," I gasped out, shaking my shoulders to pull myself together. It failed. The batarian hmmed boredly before piling some vials into a moderately sized box, about the length of my lower arm. He secured the lid.

"Alright, this is pretty concentrated stuff so you shouldn't need any more than this for the treatment, don't get it on your skin, human, it will put a hole in it," he explained. I nearly threw the credit chit at him, one hand already on the box. Wrekon gave Garrus a quick look before he rang it up. I took the chit back before shoving it in my pocket.

"Much appreciated, Wrekon. Any further problems, you let me know," Garrus grinned. Wrekon smiled briefly.

"Sure, no worries, Archangel," he answered.

"Thank you, thank you so much!" I bundled up the box, holding it to my chest. "Thank you, thank you!" I turned to the door, nearly crashing into poor Deolls. "Let's go people! Back to the _Starquake_! Hustle, hustle, hustle!"

I lost track of time after that. My heart was ready to burst out of my chest, my legs ready to kick my face in as my lungs begged foe air. Garrus led us back part of the way to the _Starquake_, weaving between the towering structures and brilliant lights as we bulldozed everything that came into our paths. Aliens of all species screeched as they dived for safety, my face must have been murderous from concentration. I grit my teeth as Deolls panted out directions, taking over from Garrus. The tall turian followed. I didn't care at this point, I had the medicine and Val needed it. Now!

I nearly collapsed as my knees struggled to hold me, the docking bay doors parting just in time to stop me crashing into them. The _Starquake_ lay before me, the engineers crawling over the hull breech and engines. Nothing had been taken apart, blessedly. They looked up as I sprinted down towards the airlock, Deolls, Phylla, Eshells gasped, given up by this point of trying to keep up with me. Only Lanster, Garrus and Shaul ran with me into the _Starquake_.

As I sprinted down the corridor towards the CIC, I could see Indira on the walkway by the elevator, browsing on her datapad with Gideon bouncing by her feet. I skidded around the corner through the door, making a beeline for the elevator. Gideon noticed me first. Bless his little heart, he slammed a fist on the elevator button. The doors had barely opened when I piled into it. Garrus followed me in as Gideon slipped in too. Lanster and Shaul were left hanging over the banister, trying to catch their breath.

"Is that the medicine?" Gideon asked as the doors closed, my stomach dropping as we moved up. Arid throated as I was, I just nodded as I dragged air into my lungs. He looked relieved as he danced beside me, casting wary looks to Garrus. Garrus looked curiously at Gideon, flapping his mandibles slightly.

When the elevator's opened, I could hear it. A high-pitched screeching sound and some swearing. I took shambled steps out of the elevator, aiming for the med bay. My knees nearly caved had my stubbornness not kicked in. Corin and Xervus were trying to pin Val down, now striped of his armour. And Val… he was screaming, horribly screaming, like nails down a chalkboard, I stumbled over the threshold to the med bay. I didn't realise how much sound the walls blocked until now. The screeches nearly deafened one.

I couldn't speak, but Saere spotted me as she tried to give Val some painkillers or something. She took one look at the box before diving for me. I was more than happy to part with it. Corin swore as Val convulsed, twisting his body into shapes no spine should allow. My heart leapt. How long had I been?! I reached for Val, for anything, anyone! Hands grabbed my shoulders from behind, dragging me backwards. My weakened knees finally yielded and the hands became arms under my shoulders. I was practically dragged out. I could think slightly when the doors closed.

I was dumped on a chair, my back leaning against the table behind it. I was struggling to breathe through the sore throat, through the cold shudder settling in my chest. It took a moment before I realised I was staring into someone's face but I couldn't for the life in me recognise it. I blinked furiously as I tried to get my brain back on the rails.

"Gideon, water," the voice demanded, my brain slowly ticking over the tone, trying to distinguish who this was before me.

"S-Sure, Sassy," Gideon managed, running out of my vision. Sassy? Who was… Mat'al. Mat'al was Sassy. The white faced salarian finally was recognised. I released a slow breath, finally allowing some tension to ease out of my quivering frame. Mat'al was pinning me with a cold stare, unrelenting as if he was worried I was ready to pass out. Maybe I was but it did help to keep me grounded, at least for now.

"Breathe, Dell. We don't need you collapsing as well," he encouraged sternly, his tone dropping into an authoritative, almost mocking tone. I had déjà vu from Feros. I gulped down some air as a glass was forced into my trembling hands. I downed the water in seconds. "Were you followed?" Mat'al asked, turning away from me.

"N-No sir," I heard Eshells gasp. "D-Didn't pick up anything," I heard something click.

"My boys probably drove them back to their ships. You don't have to worry about anything for a while yet," Garrus responded with a shrug. I watched Mat'al straighten slowly, as if only noticing Garrus now. The air felt like a tomb.

"Vakarian, now there is a face I was not expecting," Mat'al greeted, tone light if chilly. Garrus frowned, mandibles gently wagging as he tried to place the salarian. I propped my arms on the table behind me, taking some pressure off my back.

"You've not met," I breathed heavily. Garrus glanced at me. "This is Mat'al Delern, my combat teacher from Feros," I introduced as Gideon hovered nearby like a bug-eyed chick. Garrus clicked his mandibles together.

"Well, it is good to meet the man who helped Dell stiffen her back a little," Garrus answered, keeping his tone friendly. Mat'al made a sound in his throat, eyes drifting to the elevator. The heavy footfalls announced her arrival before I heard her deep voice.

"Endellion is well?" Raisha asked, her deep voice alarmed as giving a passing look to Garrus. She knelt down before me, firm hands on my trembling shoulders. I was beginning to breathe easier.

"As far as we can tell without an examination," Mat'al answered, aloof.

"I dread to think what this commotion has done to her in regards to her Reaper," Raisha rumbled. She spied the empty glass by my elbow. "Gideon, go and collect another glass of water, please," Gideon trembled before meekly taking the glass and scurrying away. Raisha turned to me then, sky blue eyes gentle. "Endellion, you cannot push yourself this hard. You have barely left the medical bay but a week ago, I do not wish to see you inside again," I managed a quick flick to the med bay, to the muffled screams. I shuddered as I shied away from it.

"Val has his medicine… he'll live. No more dying…" I scrubbed my face with my hand. Raisha was silent, regarding.

"Mat'al, escort Endellion to her quarters. I do not think staying this close to the med bay is ideal. All night shift crew, return to your beds. I shall go inform Indira she is in charge of the deck for the time being," Raisha towered to her full height as she sounded her orders. Several salutes flew as Gideon shuffled beside me once more.

"I'll take her up, if you want," Garrus added. Raisha turned to him, studying him silently. "It would be good to catch up, I haven't see Dell in months," Raisha glanced to Mat'al, her expression almost vacant.

"Garrus Vakarian, old Normandy crew member, ex-C-Sec," Mat'al shrugged. Raisha allowed her shoulders to relax a touch.

"Very well, Mr Vakarian, you aid is appreciated. Gideon, would you help escort them?" she asked. Gideon's eyes bulged as he stared up at her, glass of water held in both hands. He cast a suspicious look to Garrus, shifting his gaze to me as if looking for assurance. He ultimately nodded stiffly. I patted Gideon's shoulder weakly before trying to find my feet again, to get away from the horrible sounds escaping the med bay. Only Raisha and her steady hands stopped me from landing face first into the floor.


	21. Chapter 21

My room was a welcome relief, even if I was propped up on Garrus like a drunk as Gideon shuffled to the side, his frame sinking into the floor almost as he shied away from the strange new turian. I struggled to lift my feet the mount the stairs as I limped over to the sofa, Gideon's duvet strewn across it. I didn't even bother trying to move it before I dropped into the sofa, flopping my head back. Garrus noted the chair by my desk, I disregarded him as he heaved it over. Gideon walked wide around him to shuffle beside me, still clutching the glass of water in two hands.

"This is a nice ship, although it looks like you had a bit of trouble," Garrus noted as he gazed out one of the windows. I hummed in agreement as I finally released the glass from Gideon's grip. The boy hugged his knees, keeping as much of myself between him and Garrus as possible.

"Salarian spectre took a nice chuck out of us," I sighed. "The _Starquake_ is good but dammit she is hard to maintain. Bloody STG and their cheap materials…" I grumbled as I drank half the glass. Garrus was quiet for a time, considering his words.

"I take it there is a story behind this. I believe that krogan said something about… your Reaper?" Garrus quizzed, concern light in his tone. I groaned at the thought.

"Get comfy Garrus, it's a long one," I warned with a slight smile. I yanked the duvet free before tossing it in a corner, giving Garrus enough room to sit on the sofa rather than the chair. I didn't want his backside getting numb halfway through this.

And thus I began the story, asking Gideon to get me more water halfway through, of how I discovered Nyryntha. I vividly remembered my time inside Sovereign and my escape from Virmire. The Citadel attack was fainter but still clear. Keplar's murder was still very hazy, I barely remembered walking into the church thing let alone my capture. I was also concerned as to why the memory was a muted brown colour, monotone in every way, a coping mechanism? I shook my head firmly to move on. My escape from the prison ship once again appeared to me as a muted brown shade, the fire brown before my eyes as I felt the heat on my skin even now. I struggled to remember the details of my time on Sur'Kesh and my memories slowly became clearer as I arrived here. Garrus listened, quietly taking in the details with small comments here and there.

After a time, Garrus told me his story, re-joining C-Sec only to become agitated with how it was ran, constantly blocked by red tape. He had mulled over the idea of a Spectre for a time until he had heard some reports about Omega. Spying an opportunity, he packed up his sniper and moved to Omega to try and do some actual good. And then he began to attract people to him who wanted the same goal. He spoke volumes of his crew, all in an affectionate tone despite the scowl on his face at times. We both snorted at the end, finally able to take in each other's words.

"You've been through hell, Dell," Garrus concluded. "A Reaper sleeper agent, I'm surprised they are still trying to bring you under control," I snorted in agreement.

"I know, although I'll give them brownie points for persistence. Although with the Council on my ass, I doubt I'll be able to do much more," I ran my hands through my hair. I glanced down to Gideon before my eyes drifted to the door. "Gid, can you do me a favour?" The boy jumped slightly.

"S-Sure. What do you need?" he asked, his eyes drifting to Garrus.

"I need you to go down and ask the engineers for an update on the repairs. Indira will know who is in charge. Also, ask Indira if she has an update on Val for me," I asked. Gideon nodded mutely, shuffling away from me reluctantly before bolting past Garrus for the door. I slumped once the door was shut. "Everything is going horribly wrong. The Council on my ass, Val getting hurt… nothing is going right!"

"You are in a nasty position, Dell," Garrus agreed quietly. "You'll get through this. You managed to survive Noveria, Virmire… well, you don't need me repeating every hole you've managed to scramble out of,"

"I don't see how this is going to work, Garrus. We can't run forever and as soon as I get caught I am never seeing daylight again," I ran my hands through my hair. "And who knows what they'll do to me. They know I'm not fully human…"

"What about the little guy?" Garrus quizzed. I smiled, almost sourly.

"I don't know. I should hand him over to some human officials to take care of but I'm struggling to let him go. He gets on so well with everyone here, despite being a pain in the ass," I snorted softly. Garrus grinned a little then.

"Not like the rest of your crew then?" he podded, amused. I frowned severely.

"You raise a valid point… everyone is a pain in the ass!" I flopped back, hands still in my hair. "I don't know what to do… I'm afraid I'll fail…" Garrus was quiet, considering. I finally turned to him when I heard his omni-tool click. Mine flared to life soon after.

"I don't know how much help I'll be, but I'll try to see if I can pick up anything from around here for you. All sorts of people come through Omega, these Saboteurs must as well. It's not much but if anything should happen, maybe Liara and I can try to pull something together," he offered.

"Thank you, Garrus. I do appreciate it," I flopped my arms to my side. The older turian grinned.

"I had best get back to my team, who knows what they'll do without me to keep them in check," he chuckled. I shoved myself to my feet, flailing my arms as my knees quivered. "Hopefully everything works out for you and your own team. It seems we've both been a little busy," I smiled weakly as I trudged towards my door, to escort him to the airlock.

"Not by choice on my part. I blame my commanders and XO," I grumbled as we reached the elevator. Garrus chuckled softly. "Promise me you'll take care of yourself, Garrus. I know we didn't exactly have a long time to chat…"

"Dell, you have far more important things to worry about than little old me," Garrus scolded softly as the elevator opened up onto the 4th floor. I smiled slightly as I slowly made my way to the airlock.

"Lanster, I need to _Starquake_ moving ASAP. Are all the requisitions in?" I asked, head automatically facing the ceiling.

_"Affirmative, Captain. I'll call the engineers in. I think we managed to sort out most of the engine trouble, the breech has a temporary cover over it,"_ Lanster responded.

"Thanks, Lanster," I answered. I leaned on a wall by the airlock. "Don't be a stranger, Garrus," I added with a scowl. Garrus grinned.

"Wouldn't dream of it. Take care, Dell. Try not to worry too much. I'll work out in the end," he said soothingly. After checking his sniper was on his back and ready to go, he darted out the _Starquake_, eager to reunite with his team. I smiled softly before shoving myself back into the CIC. Gideon poked his head out from one of the engineer tunnels, scurrying over eagerly, clambering up the stairs. His eyes were bright now that Garrus was gone.

"Saere says Cops will be fine, he just needs to rest and let his wounds heal. She says it could be a month or two though," he began, his tone dropping a touch at the end. He perked up a little, a determined crease on his forehead. "Arthan says everything should be ok, the number 3 engine looks a little shaky so they're going to go easy on it. The hull breech is secure but it is only temporary and exit or re-entry could take it off again but the shields will keep us safe," he looked smug when he finished, puffing his chest out like a gorilla. I smiled as I leaned on the banister.

"Thanks, Gideon. Much appreciated," I ruffled his hair. He wailed quietly, fighting free of me. He scurried away as a swotted the air before him, laughing joyously. I managed a smile as I slumped on the railing.

I was relieved once we were free from Omega, limping our way back into space.

I managed to convince Indira that I was fit enough to take control, albeit sitting in my chair, but mentally sound for the most part. Her attempt to be subtle was a failure, however, if she was trying to be subtle. I had no doubt she was trying to act natural and do her duty, but hovering around me almost constantly? Every tiny sound I made had her rushing to my side, every movement would have a query after it. I frowned at the drell as she danced around the CR, her attempts at playing innocent a blatant lie.

Lanster was taking us to a quiet part of space in order to try to complete the repairs to the _Starquake_ in peace. I silently smiled, knowing full well no part of space was truly quiet. We would not find peace easily. 6 hours we journeyed, 6 hours until we ran into our first foe. I squeezed my eyes shut, a cold blanket shuddering over me. The sirens began blaring. I straightened myself on the chair, awaiting the surge that was Lanster launching us forward.

_"Uh..Captain? Incoming transmission. Should I patch it though?"_ Lanster's voice cracked over the intercom. I nearly jumped, startled. We weren't running… they were not shooting? A transmission? My sluggish mind eventually came to its senses.

"Patch it through." I answered, stumbling over the words. I lingered anxiously for the call to connect, breath catching in my throat as a holographic screen appeared above the cockpit-facing exit of the Control Ring. A pissed off, sandy coloured turian with a battered crew behind him appeared soon after.

"I should have realised you would be resourceful, Shaik," the turian began, tone venomous. I frowned, my sluggish mind churning like tar to try and figure out who this was… he looked familiar. He shook his shoulders out, folding his arms as he straightened. "Surrender, Shaik, and I won't have to pelt bullets in your hull," finished, his mandibles snapping smugly. I slowly opened my mouth.

"Who are you?" I asked, not yet recovering. The turian gaped, arms flopping uselessly at his sides as his shoulders dropped. His mandibles were slack. I faint snigger cracked the quiet air in one of the corners behind me.

"Who am… Commander Marruns Bellium, Spectre and your worst nightmare!" he thundered. I blinked slowly.

"Sorry, not ringing any bells," I answered truthfully. He did look awfully familiar… he squealed in insult.

_"He's the turian you nearly shot in the face before your friend appeared, Captain,"_ Lanster chortled. I twitched my lip, a slight scrunch of my face. The turian before… oh!

"The guy who ran away! Oh, I remember you now!" I answered triumphantly. I did remember something from that maddened haze! The turian began forming words before he realised what I said. His hands slammed to his side, a furious pout on his face. My eyes lit up. "How may I be of service, Lieutenant?"

"Commander!" he roared, a fist waving in my direction. "And you can help by turning yourself and your ship over to be tried for murder!" I sucked in a deep breath, almost wincing.

"Ah, I see. I'm afraid there is a slight problem with that, Corporal-" I began.

"COMMANDER!" he screeched. Someone sniggered behind him, making him whip around in fury.

"In that we still have a lot of work that needs to be done. You know, saving the galaxy and such like. Another time perhaps, Chief," I watched the turian nearly jump in vehemence as I nodded towards one of the cameras. I heard the _Starquake_ warm the engines.

"I am a Commander, human! What the fuck is wrong with you?!" Marruns demanded. I shrugged loosely.

"What is wrong with me? Sergeant, what is wrong with you? I'm not in the way of a ship about the FTL," I grinned.

"Sergeant?! That isn't even a rank in the na-… wait, what?" he gawked, side-tracked. The _Starquake_ surged forward, towards the turian ship. I heard Marruns screech before the communications were cut. I gripped the arms of the chair, almost squeezing the blood out of my fingers as both ships swerved to avoid each other. Lanster straightened out, before the hum of the FTL deafened me. My stomach lurched as we jumped. Safe within FTL, the sniggering finally broke free. I managed a pained smile.

"At least I know how to piss him off…" I muttered. Indira giggled behind me.

"Someone's got a boyfriend!" she sang. I coughed, throwing her a stare that could melt a sun.

"How does _that_ equate to boyfriend!?" I demanded, my face brightening at the sheer thought of it. Indira's smirk was slow and steady.

"Fighting like a married couple," she giggled before I took a swing for her. She danced away, laughing. I scowled after her, a sour taste in the back of my throat. Gideon stared up at me, bugged eyed.

"No," I pointed a stern finger at him. "Get that thought out of your head!" Gideon blinked.

"I was thinking he's a bit like Sir Squidy Anus, a bosh'tet," he shrugged. I relaxed a touch, agreeing, before a cold realisation sunk over me.

"How did you learn that word, Gid?" I asked, my tone deadpan. Gideon paled a touch.

"Uh… a-around?" he grinned weakly, pulling a bad poker face. I popped my jaw. Gideon squeaked and winced as if a screw had popped free on a pressure cooker, eyes wide and braced against the floor. "W-Well, y-you know what it's like in the engineer tunnels! E-Everyone swears when t-they're working!"

"And what are you doing in the engineering tunnels to begin with?" I quizzed coldly, tapping a finger on the arm of my chair. Gideon was a frozen statue, slowly realising he was digging into a deeper and deeper hole. He bit his tongue. Hard. "Gideon," I warned. His eyes shifted to the side before focusing on me again.

"I gotta go bye help Indira!" Gideon squealed manically before tearing out of the CIC, aiming for the engineering tunnels. My pressure valve failed.

"Get back here, you little baaaaugger!" I corrected mid-word. I managed to get 2 steps out the chair before Indira crashed into my path. "Goddam it, Ind-Indra, let me go!" I demanded as I struggled to push the girl off me.

"Delly, Delly, Delly-" Indira began, almost flailing to free herself as well… although she was not helping the situation by any stretch of the imagination!

"And no bloody Delly! How many times do I have to tell you?!" I snapped as I managed to free my upper body and pull myself free, using the corrugated floor as a climbing frame.

"But I got something important to tell you!" Indira whined, almost bouncing on my back. I groaned as I flopped on the floor, hands still stretched above me.

"What?" I asked. Indira grinned as she bounced free, doing two laps around the CR while I lumbered back onto my feet.

"Well, as the head of Intel, I've been doing a little digging and I learned a little something about the Council's reward for your capture," Indira began, strutting around me like a preening peacock. I frowned.

"There's a reward for my capture?" I echoed, my gut turning heavy. Indira snapped her heels together as she faced me.

"Absolutely! 20'000 Credits alive, 4000 Credits dead," Indira exaggerated. "Although, recently it has been… changed. I think saving that Spectre may be the cause of it," her face turned still, all laughter gone. I felt my shoulders quake.

"And the rewards now?" I asked slowly. Indira blinked once.

"1000 Credits dead, 3 million alive," she responded toneless.

I opened my mouth, to say what, no one would know. Nothing in my body wished to listen to me. 3 million for my capture? Alive? That was an insane number! For me?! I wasn't worth 3 million! My jaw flailed as it tried to function, for words to form.

"…the enemy ships are going to triple, aren't they?" I managed. Indira cast her eyes towards the cockpit just as another warning blared out.

"Tenfold wound be more accurate," Indira told me solemnly. "Most of the merc groups had you has a low to medium priority. Leaping up to 3 million has punted you up the list of good jobs to do. You are a high priority for the Blue Suns, Blood Pack, Exodus, Pulsar Blades and Al'kerca merc groups. The _Starquake_ is…well, it's only a matter of time now,"

A matter of time… until I was in the hands of the Council. I slumped my shoulders as Lanster began swerving. I was spared from a severe head injury by Indira snatching me as I tumbled backwards.


	22. Chapter 22

_The Fact Sheet has been updated for this chapter. Please see profile for the link._

* * *

I stared out the window, huddled on the sofa with my knees to my chest, my arms trying to weld them together with a white grip. The cold window had warmed by now, my forehead acting as a half-decent radiator. My eyelids drifted down, shutting out the stars from me. I didn't even hear the alarm clock bleating behind me. It was deafened by warning sirens.

The lights faltered, the power fluttering for a moment, causing us to drop out of FTL violently. I groaned as I rolled off the sofa, not even bothering trying to prevent myself from collapsing on the ground. Gideon made a wild grab for me, but the 10 year old only managed to look down at me, peeking over the cushion with large eyes a slight tremble to his frame when he realised he was too slow. He squealed helplessly as another lurch sent him careening over the edge as well, onto my battered ribs. I gagged on the pain, wheezing as my lungs tried to just function. Gideon squirmed free, panic on his face as he finally freed himself from me.

"I'm sorry, Dell! I'm sorry!" he pleaded as he grabbed the table for balance. I slowly rolled onto my stomach, wincing, as I reluctantly pushing myself to my knees.

"It's alright Gid. I'm alright," I gasped as I pushed myself up, every muscle pinching painfully, every process equivalent to hiking through tar.

My arms flew out as the _Starquake_ rocked again, and once again we were back in FTL. I rubbed my eyes, swaying horribly. Gideon nearly clung to me, eyes wide and frame trembling. I gently ruffled his hair, limping my way towards the door. He was a shadow to me. Once free from the safety of my room, I stared down the hallway towards the elevator. Most of the panels had long dropped free, wires dangling dangerously close to hanging anyone over 6ft. I sighed as I paused by Val's door.

"Gideon, go and get a status report please. I'm going to try again," I smiled tiredly. Gideon's grip around my hips tightened for a time.

"Y-You'll be ok?" he asked meekly. I feigned a smile, my lips tight as I tried to lift them.

"I'll survive for now. Go on, I need that info," I urged. Gideon jumped, shuffling down the hall before clambering down into the engineer tunnels. The elevator was off-limits. We had too many power cuts these days to use it safely. I pressed my forehead against the door to Val's room, any energy I had regained from my 2 hour nap was now gone already. It never ended. Everyone was on their last legs, myself included. Injury, exhaustion and hunger were too powerful together.

A simple month and we had gone from being in reasonably good spirits to walking corpses. The shift work had collapsed once people started dropping due to injury, then exhaustion began to down the rest. The attacks on the _Starquake_ had been endless. Marruns was the culprit. We had managed to damage his ship just over 3 weeks ago but the bastard was well stocked for a long chase. A new ship later and he was back on our tail.

Our stealth system had been utterly destroyed about 2 and a half weeks ago thanks to a Blue Sun Cruiser. Parts of the engineering deck were no-go areas because of electrical fire damage. Whatever that cruiser had packed, Sershin couldn't dodge the hail of bullets and we took one hard. Damaged part of the drive core which was the main cause for our power outages. The _Starquake_ was held together through will alone, although the rotary had long packed in. We managed to get a few hours peace in order to manually disengage it, requiring most of the engineering team to float in space and haul the seized metal apart. The fanned plates were torn and battered, there was no retracting them in their state.

And all of this damage had injured many of the crew in the process. Currently, out of a crew of 45, 22 were completely out of action, including half of the engineering crew. If injury wasn't bad enough, we hadn't had anywhere near enough time to stop for food. The rationing was severe, I hadn't eaten anything in 2 days just to keep Gideon full. Our water supply was also looking shaky, just to add to the burden. And don't talk to me about fuel. God the things we had to do in order to keep the _Starquake_ moving… I was relieved wrecked ships were so common that still had usable fuel.

I shoved open Val's door, eyes already drifting to the turian on the bed. I breathed as I ran a hand through my hair, touching a lamp to bring some light to the room. Val was motionless. I dropped onto the edge of the bed, my eyes on my trembling hands on my lap. I grabbed fistfuls of my trousers just to make sure I could still feel my fingers.

Val had been moved into his room weeks ago, Saere said he was on the road to recovery and that the bandages could be removed as of 3 days ago. Yet here he was, locked up in his room, bandages taut over his face. I lifted my gaze to window, on the other side of the bed. I managed to see a faint glitter of green in the reflection that flickered as he blinked. I nearly buried my face in my lap, my stomach twisting painfully as my eyelids tried to drop permanently.

"I know you're awake, Val," I tried quietly. Val was a copper statue, refusing to even acknowledge me. "I can see you blinking, you pillock," I joked lightly. I turned back to the reflection, finally seeing Val lift his eyes. We met in the reflection. The silence crushed me to the ground, sagging my shoulders.

"You look like shit," he muttered. I coughed a laugh, humour drained.

"I look better than I actually am," I admitted, freeing my fingers from the tangle of red on my head. "I think the ship and I are tied for who is in worse shape just now," Val made a sound in his throat, eyes drifting away again. I bit my chapped lip. "Are you feeling any better?" I asked. Val remained silent. "Val, please, talk to me! What's wrong? You've not left this room in nearly a month, you've not spoken to me since either. I need you back on your feet, Val!" The turian simply curled himself up a little more, silent. I growled quietly. "Oh so I'm not allowed to sulk around when I get hurt and you can? Dammit, Val, look at me!"

I reached out, grabbing hold of his carapace. I felt Val's agitated rumble through my palms. He flicked an arm up to dislodge me, but I ignored the bat and hauled him to lie on his back. Now I heard the low rumble in his chest. Next thing I knew, he yanked free from my grip and snapped his hands around my wrists, dragging me from my precarious position on the edge of the bed. I struggled, trying to free my hands from his grip as he pinned me down on the bed, glowering down over me.

"Dammit, Dell, can't you leave a man to nurse his pride!?" he demanded hotly. I glared up at him, furious.

"A month, Valéren! A month I've been trying to get you to talk! You'll talk to Gideon, you'll talk to Lanster, you'll talk to fucking Mat'al but not me!? What the hell did I do!?" I screeched, straining against his hold.

"Nothing!" he snapped back.

"Then why don't you ever speak to me now?!" I snarled venomously.

"You wouldn't understand! You're human!" he growled.

"So is Gideon!" I retorted harshly.

"You are from another time, you don't know anything about turian culture!" Val thundered.

"If it's something bad then why the fuck does it matter so much if I don't understand!?" I barked, pleading. Val opened his mouth, the bandages straining over his copper plates. The words died in his throat. I lay panting, desperately trying to kick some answers out of this bloody turian.

"…Spirits, I hate it when you cry…" he grumbled sourly.

"What?" I gagged, hands snapping to my face, freeing themselves from his grasp. They were soaked the instant they touched my cheeks. "A- sh… fuck!" I smothered my face in my hands. Dammit, this was happening too often! I wanted to crawl into the fetal position. Val sighed as he dropped back on his heels, leaving me to crawl into a ball. The bed bounced slightly as Val dropped off his heels to cross his legs, eyes to the stars.

I lay still on the bed, heels of my hands pressed to my eyes. This was more than embarrassing, it was outright humiliating. The sting in my eyes, the heat in my face, the coldness in my chest… it was a horrible sensation. It took what seemed like forever, or at least one more run in with another ship and quick escape, to finally remove the hands from my face. I hurled myself into a sitting position, finally able to look at Val, feeling somewhat confident I had my tears under control. His gaze shifted to mine briefly but quickly diverted them again. The silence was almost toxic. I finally reached out, aiming for a dangling bandage near his left mandible. He flinched. I hesitated for a moment.

"Please…"I begged. Val clicked his mandibles gently. I tried again, reaching out. Val winced but otherwise remained steady. I breathed heavily as my second hand raised.

The relief slipping off my shoulders was unreal as I unwound the bandages. I was getting somewhere, after weeks of trying I was finally getting somewhere! As I slowly unravelled the tight bandages, I revealed more and more copper skin pocketed by mucky brown flesh stained with pinkish scar tissue. The scarring wasn't too severe, from what Saere told me, the copper skin would return mostly. Most of the obvious scarring was around his eyes and forehead. Although, it was becoming increasingly more prominent that the scarring wasn't the main issue. It looked like his skin had melted, like melted wax on the side of a candle. His copper skin was coated in melted drips dried into his skin. There was also pronounced pocketing on his skin as if the acid had dissolved the pores into small cavities. When I dropped the last bandage, I could appreciate the damage his bastard of a father caused him. I was struggling to think of words to say.

"You look like shit," I told him. He snorted, a small smile lifting his lips before it collapsed.

"Yeah, a shit looking barefaced bastard," he muttered. I frowned, confused. I… guessed this was the turian culture I was failing in. I took a closer look at his face. His scarring had distracted me from the more obvious marking… or lack thereof. His viridian marks were gone.

"I… take it barefaced isn't a nice thing," I bit my lip as I spoke. Val snorted sourly at me.

"Culture is wonderful, isn't it," he cursed subtly. I winced. "No, barefaced is not a nice thing. So bad, we call our politicians barefaced,"

"Ah…" I coughed. I bit my tongue as it rose to defend my father. Val sighed.

"Barefaced turians are seen as deceiving, untrustworthy and in general out to con you out of the clothes on your backs. Turians see barefaced as some of the worst scum of the galaxy, to put it mildly," he sighed. I knotted my eyebrows together a touch.

"And… why should that matter in regards to me?" I asked. Val glanced up, brow plates raised a touch. "I mean, I know you, know what you are like. I know you can be trusted so why hide? You're fine with the other turians and yet not the person who would never have cared had you not told me? Who still doesn't care because I know this barefaced thing is bullshit and your father deserves to be hung from his balls?" Val coughed finally, a small laugh slipping free.

"I would pay to see that…" he smiled. The smile faded as he regarded my question more seriously. "The other turians are my friends, but with you, with all this stress you've been under, the last thing you needed was to be seen with a barefaced turian in public, even without the Council on your ass. I… I didn't want to add to your problems, even if this all did sort itself out. You still get communications every now and then…" he muttered.

"You were trying to protect what little of my reputation I have left," I chewed my lip, watching Val's posture.

"Yeah… I guess I was," he answered absently. I popped my jaw slightly, nearly ready to cluck my tongue. I crawled over to him, giving him a firm look. He reluctantly turned to me. Maybe he realised how much of an idiot he was. I hoped.

"Val, if anyone, and I mean anyone, mocks you for being barefaced I will shoot their heads off," I told him. Val snorted lightly, his only sign of amusement. His mandibles flared slightly and his head lifted when he noted my taut lips and drawn eyebrows. His mandibles clicked gently.

"You don't need to do that…" he began. I shook my head adamantly.

"Yes, I do," I told him firmly. He fell silent. I sighed as I reached out to hug him. "Dammit Val, I'm your friend and captain, it's my duty to make sure no one fucks with anyone else," I felt Val give me a slight squeeze as he hugged back, in annoyance or appreciation, I wasn't sure but I took it regardless. "Does it hurt?" I whispered. Val's hot breath gushed past my ear.

"In places. I can't feel others," I felt his plates shift into some sort of half smile. "My sense of touch on the face is completely screwed up, Saere's not sure it'll ever sort itself out," I drew back slightly, brushing my thumbs over the sharp ridges that marked his cheeks. The boiling sensation in my stomach made me want to crush his father against a wall, not that dissimilar to what Saria did to me. His skin had always had a rough texture to it, now it felt more like pumice with ridges that wriggled like worms over his face. I pulled him in for another hug, forehead to forehead, nose to nose. I nearly clung to him.

"Anyone hurts you like this again," I vowed venomously. "And I will rip them apart," Val snorted softly, an amused glint in his eyes.

"You? Hand to hand? With a krogan?" he mused with the idea. I scowled. This close to his face, it was hard to see details.

"A thresher maw," I countered sourly. Val's eyes opened slightly more, I managed to catch the flare of his mandibles. I tried to ignore the grin on his face. With care, he braced his hands on either side of me on the bed, leaning over me just a touch. My breath started snagging in my throat. I had to cling to him now to stop myself collapsing on the bed.

"Hmm, a thresher maw vs a mini maw with a rocket launcher," he murmured, his tone dropping slightly as the smile widened slightly. "Now that is a fight I'd like to see," I managed a short laugh before smiling a touch. "Sorry for making you worry so much, guess I didn't exactly think this through…"

"Better be, you pillock," I countered. "Thinking I would actually care about some badly done face paints," Val laughed in surprise, a smirk on his face.

"Are you mocking my ability to face paint?" he questioned, sounding falsely insulted. I felt one of his hands twirl a small clump of my hair. "Coming from the girl who takes at least an hour to tame her crest?"

"Ohh, that was a low blow, Autillin," I scolded gently, securing my arms around his neck to stop myself falling back. I almost felt his grin on my lips.

"I can go lower," he retorted, voice low as his hand released my hair to find the base of my neck. My breath caught in my throat.

We both cried in surprise when the ship thundered wildly, sending us careening off the bed as a siren blared out around us.

"What the hell happened? What the fuck is that alarm?" I gawked, rolling off Val as I started to clamber to my shambling feet. Val gawked around the room in surprise, disorientated.

"Critical Failure alarm?" he quizzed. What? A critical… ah shit!

I burst out of Val's room, panic already tunnelling my vision as the power flickered violently. I practically fell into the engineering tunnels before I crawled through the red stained tunnels. When I finally crawled out in the CIC, I gagged on the smoke floating in the air. I stumbled through the haze, my relief that it only afflicted the top left corner over-ridden by the flickering cameras showing a turian frigate hounding us as a hail of bullets from a nearby salarian cruiser almost totalled us. I made it to the Control Ring as Indira cursed at a control panel.

"Status!" I demanded as I clung to the back of my chair.

"We just too a massive hit from that blasted frigate! We lost pressure on the cargo deck, the 5th and 6th decks are venting!" Indira gritted, her hands flinging over the orange hologram. "We can't shut the vents between the decks! We've also got a major fire in the labs, servers are struggling to even operate with those temperatures!"

My stomach lurched as Lanster launched into FTL, although any relief to be away from those ships was drowned out by sound of the engines. They were creating a horrible squealing sound like a hamster wheel ready to fly off. The smoke in the right corner was beginning to build. I saw someone, some poor salarian lost in the smoke, trying desperately to put out the fire igniting the deck. It was quickly progressing towards the lab.

The ship almost rolled from the thunderous boom that quaked the entire ship. The power died. In the shambling dark, only omni-tools and drones provided any light. I was deafened by the cries of surprise and demands for answers. An emergency red hue stained the room as the cameras struggled into life. The room was then lit by a brilliant blue light. My body fell numb, gaze locked to the screens above me. Half of the CIC's camera screens were smothered by a planet. Only when fire began to lick up the nose did panic really set in.

"Lanster!" I begged. Get us out of here, anything!

_"We lost engines 2, 3, 4 and 6, Captain!"_ he cried before swearing. Someone was chanting 'come on' in the background. My throat closed. _"Engine 2 exploded and completely killed the rest of the engines, I've managed to get 1 and 5 up but dammit the others aren't responding! We're venting on all decks now! We've lost most of the control systems. I can't straighten her out, we don't have enough power to get us out of here! Dammit, front thrusters, respond!"_

_"Emergency re-entry check-list started!"_ Mari T'Seir called out. _"At least we don't need to dump fuel on Marrun's face-"_

_"This is not joking time, Mari!" _Lanster roared. _"Checklist! Now!"_

The _Starquake_ trembled as it was forced into re-entry. I doubted we were doing it safely either, judging by the flying, flaming pieces of _Starquake_ that flew past the camera feeds. I felt the engines surge and ebb, one engine tried to start up before stuttering to nothing. Once we had entered the atmosphere, the fires on board only got worse.

"Can we use escape pods!?" I screamed over the roar of sirens and screams.

_"Negative, it's too dangerous to safely fire them just now! If I can get the _Starquake_ level…"_ Lanster cussed softly as he worked the controls. _"Sershin, I need power! Nothing is responding, we're losing hydraulics!"_

Just listening to him call out his failures and the frantic cries around me as people tried to get something, anything to work... I couldn't even think. The ship was shaking violently. Most people crashed to their knees, myself included. We weren't even re-entering straight! The flaming streaks of _Starquake_ debris only increased with time. The outer plates were ripping themselves apart. When the flames eased, we began the true nightmare. Our ragged plates caused us to start cartwheeling through the air. I screeched, pinned to the floor as the emergency generator began to flicker. I could hear the creaking metal as the ship strained to keep together. Massive cracks rippled up the walls. The floor bowed and twisted. The creaking metal deafened every sane thought. Smoke filled the air. I began rolling on the floor as Lanster managed to gain some control. From the cameras, I saw the _Starquake_ was beginning to level, the angular plates all but gone.

Then I saw the landscape. It was like a green Colorado plateau. Massive towering columns of rock, flat valleys between. My heart sank. We danced wildly, the _Starquake_ desperate to spin. The sirens screeched. Lights blinded me. Closer, closer still the cliffs came. I dragged myself to my feet. When I turned to the cameras, a cliff was waiting to greet us.

_"BRACE!"_ Lanster screamed. I was frozen in place, eyes to the cliff closing in on us. I screamed when someone took me to ground, I barely saw fingers of the person pinning me down grasping the ribbing on the floor.

Then the first impact. The ship was brimming with screams. The ship jolted as a wing struck the cliff. My direction lost, I screamed as the lights flickered. The sirens cut and blared as power failed. A thundering crash sent us jolting violently as we smacked into the ground. Screeching metal drowned out the shrieks. The _Starquake_ ripped apart with an ear screeching crack. I couldn't hear people scream over the sound of the ship shredding apart.

I was blinded by light and plunged into darkness in an endless cycle. Faces of family long dead flashed before me. Time slowed, sound deafened. I was floating in silence, watching people flying past me, floors, wires. Everything. I remember losing the floor below me, flying myself, I remembered a pain in my back before I was thrown downwards into darkness that stole all light from me.


	23. Chapter 23

_The Timeline has been updated for this chapter. Please see profile for the link._

* * *

I could smell freedom. It carried a sharp freshness that stung my lungs a touch as I realised I was nearly released from this metal tomb. After crawling through remnants of oil, fuel and ezzo, my lungs – and biotics – were going insane, pleading for an end. I winced as pressed my elbow into a bent metal rib on the faint tunnel of carnage I was crawling through, straightening the damn thing out to let me pass. A quick glance behind me, ignoring the blue biotics sparks arching on my carapase, assured me Anthon Cerr was struggling behind, nursing a broken arm. I breathed deeply before forcing my battered body forward. We pressed on from the fire smouldering at our backs.

"Remind me," Anthon began, grunting as he crawled over a beam. "To kill whoever designed the _Starquake's_ floors. Wheel forgive, they shouldn't have collapsed like that!" I snorted softly.

"Thought you were an espionage specialist, Cerr, not an engineer," I intertwined my fingers before slamming them several times on a panel of metal between me and freedom. Anthon laughed harshly behind me.

"And that is why I know so much about floor design. Come now, Valérien, you must know how good we are at blowing things up!" he joked. A small smile finally found my face. Point taken. My omni-tool, my soul light, soon revealed a solid wall to me, blockading us. I growled.

"Know what this is then, Cerr?" I grumbled. I barely had room to look over my carapace let alone do anything other than a belly crawl. The slimmer salarian had no such problems.

"Outer skin, air is on the other side of that metal," he responded after a pause. I grunted. Finally! The omni-tool became a blade. I jammed it through the skin, jarring my muscles as I tried to tear through the skin in the narrow space. One cut. Two cuts. Then I heard voices.

"Someone's cutting their way out on the main wreckage!" a female voice flanged. I barely had time to make a third cut to taste air. Massive hands appeared from the far side of the flap, ripping the metal clean off. I blinked blearily as the makeshift tunnel flooded with light. I heard Anthon wince behind me.

"Autillin!" I frowned at the voice as hands grabbed me, yanking me out of the tunnel. I coughed as my poisoned lungs filled with my first intake of unsoiled air, it felt like they were half filled with tar. With my eyes adjusting, I managed to make out Iona's face above me. The grey-brown turian grabbed me from under my arms and dragged me away from the _Starquake_. "Spirits be thanked, they are being merciful today," she muttered. I managed to flop my head around, watching as Aergus Navers pulled Anthon free. The pale turian hoisted the salarian up before running after us.

"How many?" I breathed as my strength waned. Iona lowered me onto the turquoise coloured grass.

"Dead or alive?" Iona asked grumpily as she scrubbed her face. Blue blood had barely stopped pouring out from several lacerations on her face and neck.

"Both," I grunted as I tried to sit up. My shattered ribs complained loudly, creaking like old trees. Anthon was lowered beside me, the salarian swearing slightly as he jostled his arm.

"So far, we've managed to drag 14 out alive. We've found 11 dead so far... No sign of Commander Delern or _her_ either," she added sourly. I gagged. Dell hadn't been found?

"Gideon?" I breathed. If he was dead, Dell would…

"He's alive. XO nearly ripped the whole damn hull open trying to find Dell, she found the kid instead," Iona nodded her head over Anthon wheezing body. That was when I took in my surroundings.

Between the towering pillars of grass topped rocks, the surviving crew members were huddled together, an injured Saere limping on a broken leg or something as she tried to treat the more serious injuries. I saw Lanster lying on his back, arm flung over his eyes as he gagged on the air. Gideon was huddled beside him, hugging his knees as purple bruises or blood marred every part of him. Some of that blood was green, he had obviously been with a salarian at some point. Beyond the bundle of survivors lay rows of sheets, covering the bodies below them. One of them was krogan shaped, another was definitely hanar. Quin Gyneris, a silver turian, wailed over one of those sheets. My heart sank, my mind blanking at the thought of his brother lying cold and still before him. To my surprise, Indira was in no better shape. I heard her cry and weep, something about 'not fair' and 'why', doubled over a makeshift sheet. My stomach turned heavy at what could break the bouncy girl.

The _Starquake_ itself lay in three large pieces, gouges torn into the ground when the _Starquake_ cartwheeled along the ground. The right wing had been torn off when it hit that cliff. The cockpit lay shattered about 700m further back than the main wreckage. Clearly, the nose had ripped off while the main body continued onwards. The final section was everything behind the rotary. That was about 600m on the other side of the main wreckage. I breathed. I wonder how many survived, it must have been ripped off and continued flying not long after the cockpit was torn away.

The _Starquake_ was a wrecked death trap.

"XO! Valérien is out!" Iona cried. I jumped, turning to Iona before my gaze tracked Raisha. The krogan had been running laps up and down the main wreckage and the tail section, yelling into people inside the _Starquake_. Now, she turned her gaze to us. I winced, shuffling myself into a more comfortable position while she nearly sprinted over.

"Valérien! I am relieved to see you in one piece," Raisha began, her deep voice strained as her hands hovered over my shoulders. I tried to ignore the rough patchwork of stitches along the left side of her face.

"Yeah, same. How are we doing?" I asked blindly. Raisha sighed sorrowfully.

"We have lost many people, too many. Lanster and Mari are the only two to survive the separation of the cockpit. Sershin and Tolova…" she peered over her shoulder to Indira. "Indira is… not taking Sershin's death well. Shayan crawled back into the _Starquake_ with Henry, Phylla and Shaul to locate more survivors,"

"Dell won't be happy with this…" I murmured. Raisha dropped her eyes, brow knitted tightly.

"If we find her. Indira had taken her to the deck before the impact but lost her after the wing was ripped free. Indira states she disappeared into the bowels of the ship. We cannot locate Mat'al either," Raisha answered slowly.

"Iona was saying," I rubbed my face, wincing when I struck a sensitive patch. I heard cries then, dragging my head up. Near one of the fissures along the side of the _Starquake_, a crowd of people were dragging someone free. I spotted Arthan, the quarian, struggling free from the wreckage. He was cradling a still Cassa in his arms. "Spirits have mercy…"

"On the bright side," Anthon chortled sourly. "At least we won't have long to wait until rescue. No doubt the Spectre will be here soon,"

"And a one way ticket to jail," Iona growled. "Stupid bitch should have just given up earlier. 'Oh, I'm sure they'll give up', fucking idiot. What the hell was going through her mind?! None of this would have-"

"Shut up!" Gideon snapped violently, tears in his voice. We all jumped in surprise. Iona gaped at him. "Just shut up! Nobody cares what you think!" Iona's plates locked together angrily.

"You little-" she began venomously.

"A hair," Raisha began icily. Iona snapped to her, eyes wide and mandibles flared. "Harmed upon him and I shall throw you back into that fire without your limbs. Do I make myself clear?" Iona gagged on her words, struggling to speak. After a moment, when Raisha's pupils narrowed, Iona leapt a mile in the air before nodding frantically.

"Look, we're all a little stressed right now," Anthon frowned at the exchange. "What's done is done," Iona snapped her mandibles together, a blue hue on her cheeks before stomping to her feet and charging back towards the _Starquake_. I heard Gideon sniff. Lanster raised a hand, gently patting one of his knees. At least he was still conscious…

"Gid," I called softly. The blond crested boy raised his head, tears threatening to pour free. "Come here, trouble," I encouraged. Gideon simply watched me for a time, probably just trying to understand what I was suggesting, but he did eventually crawl to his feet. He limped over, a hand on his hip. Dell would _not_ like that. I aided him to the ground, holding him in a tight a hug as I could muster with a shattered chest. I just held him.

Hours passed, more survivors crawled free, more dead were dragged out. Some people managed to drag out some blankets to pass around the survivors as the sun began to drop in the sky, staining it red. I counted the bodies as Gideon lightly dozed in my arms. So far, we had pulled 17 bodies out. Living wise, 20 had managed to free themselves or were helped. We were still missing 8 missing; Dell, Mat'al, Sherin Wiaceel – our albino salarian, Alice Kowasho – a female human, Maerk Arnhe – a black and yellow spotted salarian, Eshells Relola – a golden female salarian, Corin Lilrus – a platinum coloured turian and Sallis T'Cerriola – an asari.

About 5 hours after we crashed, the fire was almost burnt out.

"We've found Delern!" Shayan cried into the quiet. We perked immediately. Gideon started, eyes wide as he focused on the wreckage, dazed. Raisha was already running to the quarian, that poor krogan hadn't stopped since we crashed. I don't even know how she was still moving at this point. I held onto Gideon as he tensed in anticipation, perked like a damn meerkat or whatever those things on Earth were. Raisha barely got to the wreck when Shayan hauled Mat'al over his shoulder. My brow plates flew up when Mat'al tried to struggle free.

"Dammit, Dell is still in there!" he snapped, trying to break out of Shayan's grip. "I almost had her!"

"Where? Mat'al, where?!" Raisha thundered.

"Down there! She's trapped under one of the damned shuttles! She's still alive, let me go, Shayan!" Mat'al hissed.

Shayan whimpered as he finally reached us, Saere already helping to pin Mat'al to the ground. The sound of metal being wrenched apart was all the warning I had that Raisha had delved into _Starquake_. It was only when I felt a sharp pain in my thigh did I realise I hadn't been breathing. I gulped down air as Gideon's grip on my thigh worsened. Mat'al, probably finally regaining some sense, had ceased trying to shove his way back to the _Starquake_. He just stared after it with longing eyes. I was transfixed to the _Starquake_.

An almighty screech rang through the air, the whole hull quivering. At this point, I wasn't sure who was clinging to who, Gideon or myself. Not 20 minutes after Raisha had entered, she emerged, cradling a limp, flame haired human. My heart sank. Gideon broke out of my grasp and scrambled away from me, crawling to an empty space near Saere, it seemed the most likely place for Raisha to lay her down. Mat'al and I lost interest in everything else. Saere abandoned Mat'al as Raisha lay her down.

"She is still alive," Raisha breathed, a mountain of weight crashing from her. "She appears to have sustained some substantial injuries however," Saere didn't even speak, I wasn't sure she even knew Raisha was speaking. Her head was down, plates set hard on her face. Gideon stopped by Dell, quivering.

"She's hit her head pretty hard," Saere muttered. "Her pelvis is going to take weeks to heal, months,"

"Oh believe me," Mat'al began dryly, some tension easing from his shoulders. "She'll have more than enough time to recover where she's going," Gideon raised his bugged eyes to him.

"W-What do you mean, Sassy?" he asked quietly. Mat'al raised a good arm, pointed to the sky. I followed his finger.

A turian frigate was gliding nearby, assessing the crash site.

"Well… fuck," I sighed, flopping against the grass. The blinding pain in my chest made me regret that.

It was still another hour before the bastard showed his face. It gave us time to search for any more survivors. Alice, Maerk and Corin were soon found near where Dell had been, dead. Sherin was lucky, he had managed to crash into a small cubby hole on the old engineering deck. He was still alive. Eshells and Sallis were still missing when the sandy coloured turian finally swaggered his way to the survivors with his crew. He drawled his eyes over a panoramic view of the crew. He sucked in a deep breath with a grin.

"Do you smell that, ladies and gentlemen?" he asked haughtily. Mat'al snorted sourly.

"I believe he's finally taken his head out from his ass. Just got quite the potent whiff of bullshit," he answered coolly before turning his attention to a nearby crew member. Marruns dropped his shoulders as his expression straddled the border between fury and pouting. He popped his jaw when chuckles rang out.

"Oh a smart ass, huh?" Marruns snarled, keeping his tone as light if strained. He sauntered over. "You want to know what I do to smart asses on the run from the law?" he bent over Mat'al. The salarian gave him an empty smile.

"Boy, I have an arm broken in 3 places, a dislocated hip and a shattered knee and yet I am still more than capable of breaking your neck," Mat'al grinned slowly, eyes lighting up a touch. "You wish to play this game?" Marruns set his jaw, eyes widening in rage. He released a breath before slowly bending away. "So there is a brain cell in there after all. Pity, must be awfully lonely," Marruns began forming words, utter contempt on his face. He stamped a foot, clenching fists by his side before he glared molten fury Mat'al. Marruns stomped away, making Mat'al smirk widely. I sniggered quietly.

"And here is the beast herself," he dropped a hip by Dell, slowly gathering himself. Gideon crouched over her slightly, eyes fixated on Marruns. "So, how long did you think you would last, hmm? A few years? Darling, I had all the fuel depots so heavily guarded you wouldn't have lasted-"

"Ah, Sandy," I summoned. Marruns snapped to me, mandibles cracking against his cheeks. "I think you overworked that brain cell of yours. You can't even tell she's unconscious!" Marruns struggled to form words. A snigger broke free from one of his crew members. Marruns quivered in fury. His mandibles cracked like bones against his skin.

"Shut up, you barefaced bastard!" he roared.

My plates froze in place, a sharp sting pinched my chest that send cold chills coursing through my blood. I held no response to his words, I couldn't think beyond 'barefaced'. Marruns snorted before glaring down at Dell. That was when Shayan and Henry emerged from the wreck, a bloodied and limp body carted between them. The blue skin told me it was Sallis. Shual and Phylla weren't far behind with Eshells, still in Shual's massive grip. The guns from Marruns' crew immediately raised. The four aliens ceased, barely breathing as Shual's eyes lit up a touch.

"I would advise against that," Mat'al chuckled coldly. Marruns snapped a fiery glare to him. "Our XO is more than agitated as it is. Unless you want bodies flying around, I suggest you lower the weapons," Marruns frowned a touch, drawing his plates in confusion. He shifted his eyes around the crew, he probably didn't even know who the XO was. Once his eyes landed on Raisha, he didn't need to worry about who held that position. Raisha was more than ready to crush a few skulls with her narrowed eyes and a low rumble in the back of her throat. Marruns cleared his throat after a moment.

"Stand down, men! They're pretty defenceless… apart from the krogan. I want cuffs on him!" Marruns ordered. "Actually, cuff all of them! Every single one of you is under arrest for murder and assisted murder! You have the right to-"

"To kick your face in if you don't shut up!" Shual boomed. Marruns dropped his arms, almost ready to pout again. Shual lowered Eshells to the ground as Shayan and Henry lowered Sallis among the dead. The large krogan straightened as Phylla began covering them. "That's everyone, Raisha. Where're we at?" Eyes turned to Raisha, much to Marruns' frustration. I only faintly heard him complain about lack of respect or some shit like that. Raisha slowly rose, towering over the people huddled nearby.

"So far, 24 have survived the crash, 20 have passed. I am grateful it was not worse but disheartened as such losses. Thank you, Saere, for your dedication," Raisha announced, voice strained. Saere managed a taut smile as she finished tying a rough bandage around Utren's arm, the male krogan only grunting in complaint. My eyes dropped as I took the numbers in. We lost almost half of the crew… Dell wasn't going to like that… how would she cope?

"Alright, round these people up and let's get them back to the Citadel, no doubt the Council will have questions. Arago, call the cruiser so we can haul this piece of junk back. Maybe there is still data available to us. Bloody Shaik, probably planned this whole crash so it would be more difficult to extract the data…" Marruns ordered, grumbling at his final words.

"We are arresting everyone, sir?" a mucky grey turian asked, a brow plate raised. Marruns frowned.

"Everyone," he repeated slowly, as if for an idiot. The turian soldier clapped his mandibles against his cheeks to clip his tongue.

"And the child?" he emphasised. Marruns' brow plates shot up, mandibles flared. He scanned the 24 survivors, eyes finding Gideon still bent over Dell in some attempt to shield her. His eyes were hard, still.

"Who's the kid?" Marruns asked, pointing at Gideon has if he had never seen a child before. I snorted softly at his words.

"He's the Captain's," Iona grumbled. Marruns almost perked, looking to Gideon like he was a pot of gold.

"He's a Shaik?" he quizzed. I coughed violently.

"No, he's-" I tried to correct.

"Aw, look at the little murderer, he's so cute!" Marruns ignored me, speaking in a higher pitched voice. He put his hands on his thighs, leaning down with a grin. "You going to be a little murderer like your mama?" Gideon's expression was frighteningly still.

"Sure, thanks for volunteering to be first," he countered dryly. Marruns' grin dropped slowly. After several heartbeats, he straightened with a cough.

"I uh… p-put the kid in secure holding. Let the human embassy sort the mini Shaik out when we get back," he shifted his weight, clearing his throat. I wondered if that was a sign of unease or embarrassment. "Maybe they can kick some sanity into the kid,"

"They clearly didn't do a good job with you, you psychopathic serviceman!" Gideon hissed. Marruns snarled, mandibles snapped to his cheeks.

"And some manners while they're at it! And it's Commander!" he jabbed a finger in Gideon's direction. Gideon's glare was almost hot enough to melt the _Starquake's_ hull. If only he wasn't so small and thinly built. "Cuffs on, secure the lot of them, gather the dead and pick up what remains of that ship. Move it, people!" he ordered.


	24. Chapter 24

_The Fact Sheet has been updated for this chapter. Please see profile for the link._

* * *

It didn't take long to secure everyone. Most of the surviving crew were on the ground, pinned from injuries or exhaustion. There was nothing really to say; they slapped cuffs on people who didn't have broken limbs and tied up the good arms of those who did. They herded us onto the turian frigate. The cargo hold had been modified with some cells, shoving about 3 to a cell of the same gender and preferably species. I didn't know where Dell was. She was most likely secured elsewhere in the ship, within easy distance of nearby guards and Marruns, of course. I think keeping her out of our sight was also part of the plan, to stop her rallying us if she woke up. My last sight of her was as they were shoving us onto the frigate. I had glanced over my shoulder, spotting Marruns overlooking her with triumph as she had been moved onto a stretcher.

That was the last time I saw her.

We then had a good 4 or so days to sulk in the dark hold. I had been shouldered into the tiny cube with Lanster and Aergus, the former had been lying down on his back for the entire time due to minor back injuries Saere didn't want to agitate it, neither did the on board medic. I didn't know where Gideon was, but he grumbled quite audibly that he hated being on his own. That had made the most crew vocal to nearby guards. He was 10, maybe 11 now, he shouldn't be in a cell on his own, I grumbled.

The quiet had allowed me to ponder upon the few moments before everything went to shit. I slid my hands down my face. What had I been thinking! Was I so desperate, so frustrated, so lonely that I was willing to make a move on the first female near me? On the first creature with a pulse?! I breathed heavily, air dropping out of my mouth like lead weights. I don't know what I would have done. Here she was, once again, calming the storm that was my stupidity and shame. She asked the tough questions, refused half-answers. She was a damn good captain and she probably didn't even realise it… Dammit, that girl could smack sense into me when she needed to… I turned to the people around me, hoping the flush on my face was hidden under scars and dim lights.

I had a lovely view of the survivors from where I was. I was able to tell from vocals and light chatter who was where and who was still alive; Shual and Utren were our surviving male krogan, the blue crested Verv cut in half by the floors from what I heard. Iona, Andria and Saere were our female turians. My team had been nearly wiped out. Not as badly as Mat'al's though; Erikos, Saere and Saldan were all that remained of the science team. The engineering team survived so well because the engineer tunnels were so robust. Arthan, Lanster, Aergus, Jarlan, Phylla and Henry were still kicking, albeit injured after a tumble dryer style ride. The intel team was no better than mine; Anthon, Quin, Sherin and Mari the sole survivors. We lost just under half the crew, the _Starquake_ and all the data we had worked so hard to collect.

Or so people thought. Mat'al had been nearly obsessed with protecting this data. He managed to collect the data and spread them among all the omni-tools of the crew. I had tried to peer into it a few times, but the data was encoded and to be honest, I wasn't curious enough to attempt to crack it. Even then, assembling the data would take months if you didn't know what you were looking for. Some of the omni-tools were probably broken beyond hope, but there were at least 4 copies floating around, I'm sure the data was somewhere. This had all kicked off when Dell had mentioned Marruns wanted the server data for some reason or another. Judging by how well the science team survived, I guessed the labs had been decimated. I doubted much would survive if anything. I wonder how long it would take for them before they thought to check the omni-tools…

Out trip to the Citadel was mad slightly better by Marruns' crew. Blessedly, the guards were far more reasonable than Marruns himself. They never really bothered us, none stopped to mock us and generally left us in peace. It just made me realise that Marruns was an asshole in charge of a stable-headed crew. Technically, I knew that already he deserved nothing more than one of these 'pineapples' Dell talked about shoved up his ass but this just sealed it. I had no idea how these guys put up with him!

Then the anxiety levels peaked when we docked the Citadel. The landing was smooth, unhurried, as if teasing us of the upcoming 'entertainment'. But hours after docking we were still in our cells, awaiting our walk off the ship. A few mutters had cropped up easily enough, worried murmurs of a firing squad waiting for us. I was almost relieved when the guards eventually came to check on us and to prepare us for moving.

"They've secured Shaik, we'll be ready to move this lot off pretty soon," a silvery female nearly yawned as she walked between the cells. Her burnt umber male companion snorted softly.

"Didn't even fight, has she said anything since she woke up?" he asked curiously. The female shook her head.

"Nope, silent as a rock. Well, she did say 'Good morning, Corporal' to the Commander though," she smirked a touch. "Wiped the grin right off his face," The male laughed sharply. I sighed softly as I shifted my weight in the tiny box. At least Dell wasn't freaking out… and that she was conscious.

"Alright, humans, that's him there. Careful, he's a kicker," the male warned. I frowned. That's who? I tried to peer around the field reinforced glass. I managed to make out a few figures that had paused outside a cell nearby. So distracted by the fluttering in my stomach, I hadn't even noticed the 3 humans walking with the two guards. My chest seemed to sink to my toes.

"Don't worry, we'll take care of him. With luck, Shaik raised him well enough for us to help him," one of the dark haired humans responded. The cell opened and the humans vanished from sight. Mat'al's face, in a cell opposite me, was deadpan as he watched. Raisha was pacing in the cell next to him.

"Get away from me! Let me go!" I heard Gideon cry. I trembled at the panic in his tone. I leaned on the wall, listening with a tight throat barely able to get air to my lungs. That was when the struggling began. My heart leapt in my chest when I heard Gideon screech like a terrified varren, heard him thrash wildly as he kicked out against anything that came near him. A stomach churning scream rang out as they started pulling him out of the cell, three of them trying to hold the flailing boy.

Oh Spirits, he was fighting, I realised as I was transfixed to the sight. He was fighting for his life, you would have thought. He powered as much force as he could muster into every kick, into every elbow, screaming demands to let him go. The cocky, pain in the ass, clingy shadow was a wild beast caught in a trap. His fist smashed a human in the jaw with a bone-snapping crunch. The humans practically threw him to the ground, pinned him to the floor, trying desperately to get some semblance of control over him. The injured human staggered away as the male turian jumped in to hold him down. Gideon squirmed, eyes nearly rolling into the back of his head. He wasn't even trying to speak coherently. It was just blind screeching. The humans grunted as they restrained him. Gideon's eyes flew around them room, landing on me. He was snow-white, eyes bulging out of his face, pupils the size of pin pricks. He was hyperventilating.

"You're alright, lad. C-Come on, settle down!" a male human tried to sooth as he locked Gideon's arms across his chest. A blonde female grabbed his waist while the turian secured his legs. They had to haul him out as he tried to worm his way to freedom. He screamed the entire time, the blood in my system draining to my toes.

Spirits knows how long it was before my heart stopped battering my broken ribs. His screams still echoed in my ears when I found myself nearly flattened to the glass, faint claw marks from where I must have tried to claw my way out to get to him. If anything happened to him, Dell would… Across the way, Mat'al was pacing slowly, a prowling beast prodded one too many times. Raisha's reinforced glass cell was covered in spider web-like cracks, almost masking her from view. Her pacing was violent, almost ripping up the floor from the force of her footfalls. The female guard eyed the crew, shuffling her weight and rolling her shoulders.

"Maybe we should have moved everyone before moving the kid…" she muttered.

"No shit, Sherlock!" Henry snapped. The turian's eyes flew wildly across the crew.

They waited another 3 hours before they decided we weren't calming down. They had to move us.

The cuffs were snapped tight as those who could wear them, arms tied if they wouldn't. We were marched out at gun-point into the air of the Citadel. Those who couldn't walk followed behind in stretchers escorted by armed guards. Walking down the ramp, I saw in the distance a series of shuttles waiting to whisk us away into the Citadel, away from freedom, from even fake sunlight. I think that thought terrified me more than being confined in a cube. I doubted we'd have a trial somehow, or just a few of us to make an example of us… Walking beside Aergus, I managed to spy a familiar face in the mass of C-Sec. Commander Satrino Wilcerous stepped before the escort. I heard the guards sigh, the sound tight as their eyes flicked over us.

"Spectre Marruns Bellium, we'll be taking custody of the prisoners," Satrino began, his tone deep, almost as if he didn't recognise the Spectre position before him. I heard Marruns laugh harshly.

"Unlikely. I'll be dealing with Shaik and her crew. I captured these runaway murderers after all," Marruns responded. "And I am a Spectre. I can do what I want,"

"Really," Satrino sounded, bored. "Well, According to Spectre Sitoln Noverok, you have been assigned to a new mission by the Council," I couldn't even see Marruns or Satrino from here now that I was on the dock, but the silence was almost comical. I heard Marruns' snap his mandibles.

"I beg your pardon?" Marruns demanded.

"We've got geth sightings at the edge of the Attican Traverse," a new voice began. I recognised the speech speed as Salarian. "The Council has ordered you to investigate, what with your soaring reputation you seemed like the perfect candidate after the death of Commander Shepard,"

"Are you mocking me?" Marruns snarled.

"Certainly not, however C-Sec will now oversee these criminals regardless. You are a Spectre, you do not deal with little things like the day-to-day activities of prisoners. There are far more pressing matters to deal with," the salarian finished sternly. There was heavy silence.

"Fine. I'll investigate these geth," Marruns grumbled, reminding me of a sulking child.

"Good. Men, let's get these people out of here," Satrino ordered, cracking like thunder over the boom. I felt a light pressure on my back. I reluctantly began to walk forward.

I ducked as I stepped onto one of the shuttles, now too tired to deal with this shit. I dropped into a chair, relieved to be sitting on something at least reasonably soft. More were piled in before the doors shut. I blinked slowly a few times, almost wishing Saria had never happened, that the Citadel attack had just never needed to happen. I doubted any of us would be here…

Now I was sounding like Iona! Shit!

"Well, this certainly hasn't been fabricated," Mat'al smiled, a calculated emotion in it. I frowned, turning my gaze to the shuttle around me. Raisha, Mat'al, Indira, Shayan and I were in the shuttle with Satrino and I swear I recognised several of the faces of the guards from somewhere. "What do you want, Satrino?" The charcoal turian remained still, giving each of us a meticulous study.

"We don't have a lot of time and I certainly don't have the patience right now. I'll keep to the point. I owe Dell a few favours," he answered bluntly.

"Didn't you pay them off with the attack on Saria?" Shayan asked curiously. Satrino snorted lightly.

"I thought so as well until I got promoted for my actions during your escape from the Citadel of course," he grumbled. "Long story and if I'm perfectly honest, I couldn't find a single fuck to give any of you. I do this solely for Dell, I know what that blasted creature is like," he leaned back in the chair. My mandibles sagged. Well… he was an… honest man?

"So you want to pay Dell back," Indira managed a weak smile, her bagged eyes barely keeping focused on Satrino. I didn't think she actually cared about what he said... I squeezed her knee gently, watching her eyelids drop slightly. She hadn't been sleeping too well at all recently. "So, what do you plan on doing about it?"

"You'll just have to trust me," Satrino glanced behind him, towards the cockpit. "Do you have any copies of your data, of your research?"

"Why would you want our data-" Shayan began slowly. Satrino released an agitated growl.

"Yes or no," Satrino almost snarled. I gaped at the ferocity. I struggled to form words. What the hell was wrong with this man?!

"We do. Its split and encoded on the crew's omni-tools. There's several copies floating around," Mat'al finally answered. I coughed violently, gawking at Mat'al. Why would he just-

"Good. You and the crew are being taken to Khyia Ward Prison, Dell has been secured in one of the Maximum Prisons not far from the Presidium, I'm unsure as to which one yet," Satrino explained. My mandibles clicked. Maximum… has Dell ever even been in trouble with the police let alone been in prison?! Satrino glanced out a window, frowning severely. "Spirits, will I ever pay these debts off?"

"If you want to pay Dell back even more," I almost spluttered, astonished I had found my tongue. Satrino snapped his gaze to me. "We had a kid on our team, a 10 or 11 year old human named Gideon. Everyone but the crew are under the impression he's… a Shaik, Dell's kid," I shrugged to ease the tension crawling over my shoulders. "It isn't true but we couldn't correct them-"

"The point, Autillin," Satrino demanded with a quiet growl. My jaw seized slightly, my teeth gnashing together.

"The human embassy just took him away a few hours ago. If you can keep an eye on him, keep tabs or something, Dell probably wouldn't be able to pay you back. The kid's won her heart," I finished with gritted teeth. Satrino was silent, eyes hard as he drilled new holes into my scarred face.

"I'll see what I can do," he answered simply. His head snapped to a window, a frown dropping some of his plates. He turned to us. "Get ready to disembark, if you haven't already been strip searched, you will now," Satrino rose to his feet, grabbing a hold of the railing above his head.

It was only then I realised my knees were shaking.


	25. Chapter 25

"No change from what I can see, I doubt anything will happen on that front," Satrino clicked his mandibles, amusement leaking into his tone. I scowled at him as I eased my body into another yoga stretch.

"A square foot of carpet for the side of the bed. Seriously, I'm sick of waking up each morning with nice warm feet taking a heart attack in the morning!" I grumbled, reaching to touch my toes with a hand. Satrino snorted softly, mocking me.

"Shaik, you'll be lucky if your request for a proper calendar is granted," Satrino retorted. "As well as the hair products, an exercise mat, books, once a month chocolate, to name but a few of the other requests,"

"All of which are perfectly reasonable when you consider the fact that I've been stuck in a 5m by 5m box for 6 months, 1 week and 3 days!" I snapped grumpily.

"5 days," Satrino smirked. I scowled at the wall.

"5 days! Seriously, I've not left this damn cube in nearly 2 months!" I grumbled.

"Well, after nearly strangling Marruns, you'll forgive those higher up when they decided to keep you on total lockdown," Satrino grinned. I giggled at the memory, gently folding myself back. I winced at the burning pain running up my thighs.

"Totally worth it," I laughed. "He's too scared to come near the glass now," Satrino smirked at the thought. "I still really want that damn window, even it's a slideshow from a digital picture frame," I sighed, mourning the loss of actual day-night cycles that weren't controlled by electric lights and meals.

6 months since the crash, a crash I barely remembered. I remembered waking up in chains, Marruns gloating above my head. Goddam that turian annoyed the crap out of me. A few words to shut his mouth, I then turned my thoughts inwards, desperate to know the extent of the damages to the _Starquake_ and the crew. I never learned the true extent until Satrino managed to track me down about a week after we had landed in the Citadel.

The crew had been nearly halved, from what I had been told. Satrino and his men had managed to filter the names of the dead to me. The number was more than enough to punch me into muteness for a good fortnight, regardless of how often I was dragged before Spectres or Council members demanding answers. I was amazed that my commanders and XO survived, it was almost as if someone had been watching over them. I sighed, carefully lowering myself to the ground.

The _Starquake_ was a write off. Nothing could have saved her. When I had learned she had been ripped to pieces, I was devastated. I wish I had sunk more money into her, upgraded her shields and engines… dammit, so much had to be overhauled! But then Saria appeared…Alas, the _Starquake_ was no more. I sighed as I cautiously pulled myself into my feet. That ship had been my home. My new home after all the shit I had gone through.

I don't really remember my first month all that well. I spent the majority of it sleeping. I finally had a chance to stop; no one to order, nothing to command, nothing was required of me. My body had collapsed after a few days, realising it could properly recuperate. I was borderline comatose for the majority of the month. For a good 2 months after that however? I was about as skittish as a feral cat. When I realised where I was, I panicked. Every noise sent me cowering, I would be curled up in the nearest corner when guards came to give me food, take to my medicals and I would break out in a cold sweat whenever someone walked past the cell.

Although after a while, I just got used to it all. The guards never bothered me, aside from Marruns who would come to taunt me endlessly for God knows how long. I eventually snapped about 2 months ago. Cocky asshole wandered into my cell without an escort to mock me. I ended up decking him and trying to strangle his stupid head off. Ah, my arms still ached to this day from when they hauled me off him and slammed me into the floor. Before that point, I had been allowed into a heavily guarded exercise yard, although I then realised I was horribly out of my depth. That's when I met the real psychopaths of the galaxy.

Murderers, rapists, terrorists, corrupt officials and even a batarian accused of the genocide of 3000 humans. I was almost thankful when Marruns gave me an opening. One time in the yard was more than enough to prove I was going to the prison bitch. Or the prison dirt, I doubted I was worth the rank of bitch to these people. And here I was, 6 months later. My injuries had healed relatively quickly, apart from that pelvis. Dammit, that had hurt like a bitch!

My incarceration was hardly thrilling. I was in a Maximum Security prison with sound-muffled walls and ceiling making communication to the psychos on the either side of me impossible, which was a blessing in disguise. I also couldn't see into the other cells opposite me thanks to some sort of coating on the glass, not that I particularly wanted to. I saw the hall. That was far enough.

The thought of being stuck in this box for the rest of my life was crushing.

"So how's your son, Satrino? Finished Flight school yet?" I quizzed as I kicked myself off into a handstand.

"He has, yes. With a distinction no less. He's desperate to pilot dreadnaughts," Satrino chuckled, pride soaked in his tone. "His mother was in tears, she was so proud when he got his wings,"

"You've got a fantastic kid, Satrino. Maybe I'll get the honour of meeting him one day," I grinned. "Assuming I turn less murder-y of course," Satrino snorted, almost amused.

"He has enough problems understanding females, Shaik, I don't need you adding 14 new layers of it for him," he retorted. The laughter that escaped me was sharp and loud, more than enough to send me crashing to the ground with an oof. Satrino's roaring laughter lit my cheeks up in a brilliant red hue. I scowled up at the charcoal turian.

"Don't you have work to do, Commander?" I grumbled. Satrino clicked his mandibles, a wide smirk on his face and his chin raised a few notches. Smug bastard…

"Certainly, however I am attempting to hold it at bay for as long as possible. My new position may have better hours but I'm learning that I also have to contend with a higher than normal stupidity level," he groaned. "And I am still trying to track down what happened to your crew. There is absolutely no reason 22 people should just vanish without a trace from prison…"

"Please do, Satrino," I pleaded quietly. Satrino and his men had been doing their damnest to keep me informed of the surviving crew members. However, a month ago, one of the humans under Satrino's command informed me that the entire crew had been scurried away during the night. No one knew where they were.

"Commander," A voice summoned from down the hall. Satrino flicked his head towards the sound, plates drawn together as a low rumble burst from his throat.

"Yes?" he asked sourly.

"Time's up, Shaik is being summoned," the voice was louder now, progressing down the hall until a pale mint salarian appeared. There was a small army of guards behind him. I frowned slowly as I eased myself onto my feet. Satrino sighed heavily.

"Very well. I shall speak with you another time, Shaik. Hopefully you'll be more willing to co-operate," he grumbled.

"No promises," I winked. "I have a problem with authority," Satrino snorted.

"Evidently," he retorted before saluting the guard. He marched back up the pale metal hall. The guards turned their attention to me.

"Hands in the air, rotate," they ordered. I lazily raised my hands beside my head, slowly spinning on the spot so they go a 360 view of me. I finished by facing the wall. The first time that had happened to me, I had fainted in fright. I smiled tautly at the memory. I had been mocked for weeks for it. I heard the glass part and the sound of marching feet. Hands grabbed my wrists before securing them behind my back, metal cuffs ensuring I didn't do anything stupid.

"Walk out, Shaik," the salarian ordered.

I began the long walk up the endless hallway, catching glimpses of some of the inmates already housed here. One asari in particular, covered head to foot in blade scars, terrified the shit out of me. I kept my eyes straight as I tried not to stare at the dark skinned alien. I heard the chortles from the aliens around, the sounds of anticipation of some action rising. It always happened when someone was being matched out. They never knew which one would come back or not. I dreaded to think if the death penalty ruled here.

Free from the cells, I let my shoulders relax. In turn, guards relaxed their own hold on their weapons. They knew me well enough, the only person I attacked if provoked was Marruns. They still give me nudges to the spine to keep me moving though.

Passing through door after door, scanner after scanner, I was finally led into a small room with a window overlooking part of the city. I reached up on my tip-toes to try and see more, but the guards shoved me forward until I was before a chair. I sighed as I reluctantly lowered myself, back to the window. My cuffs were restrained to the chair. I really wasn't moving now.

"So, who do I have the honour of today?" I asked lightly, shuffling until comfortable in the metal chair. The salarian glanced to the door as several guards left. "Far more of you than usual,"

"Best behaviour, Shaik," the salarian warned with an underlying scowl. I frowned a touch, eyebrows knotted together. This was new. The door opened. A slow smirk grew on my lips at the figures who entered.

"Councillors, what an honour! It's only taken you 5 months to pop over for another visit," I leaned back in the chair, crossing a leg over my thigh. The asari Councillor, Tevos as I remembered correctly, gently clasped her hands behind her back. Valern, the salarian, gently stroked his chin as Sparatus crossed his arms, frowning. Udina was quiet as he dropped a hip.

"Indeed, I do apologise for the delay, Miss Shaik," Tevos began formally. I awaited her words. "I trust you have been relatively comfortable,"

"Hmm, could have used a window… and a little less annoying Spectres on my ass as well. Seriously, it only took Marruns 4 months to crack me," I retorted brightly. The butterflies in my stomach told of another story…

"Indeed, he refused to silence himself about the event for weeks afterwards," Sparatus scowled. I smiled slowly, basking in this newfound knowledge. The Councillors studied me intently, trying to peer through my perky expression I wore to hide the concern bubbling in my chest.

"Let's cut to the chase, hmm? What do you want?" I offered, annoyed with the silence. Valern stopped stroking his damn chin as his arms dropped limp beside him.

"I understand you must know by now that you are not simply here for the murder of Commander Saria," Valern opened. I raised an eyebrow.

"Ah, Xanthe, I wondered how quickly she would crop up," I rolled my shoulders back, shuffling my quickly numbing ass. "But yes, yes I do, Councillor," There was a moment of silence between the Councillors.

"Yes, well, after you had fled we began examining the remains of Commander Saria's body and found… metal, very similar to the material that made up Saren's ship-" Udina explained. I managed a burst of laughter.

"Ah Nazara- Sovereign, shit! Gotta keep those names apart…" I shook my head out, a faint line of tension running left to right over my forehead. "Let me guess the rest from here," I smiled, emotion dead. I could imagine only one way this ended... "You figured 'Oh this is very strange material...what is it?' And then after a while you had people killing each other for no apparent reason and they wouldn't stopped or reasoned with until you put a bullet in their brain," The Councillor's expressions were flat. "Yeah, I theorised that the individual components of a Saboteur could cause Indoctrination. I have sweated the stuff once before, not so nice, but we haven't tested how powerful the indoctrination waves are in a Saboteur compared to a Reaper, let alone the tiny parts inside a Saboteur. Thanks for confirming it doesn't take a lot to get things going at the very least!" I frowned, trying to puzzle out the thoughts running through their minds. "How many?" The Councillors glanced among themselves for a time.

"14, another 12 have been isolated to assess their mental state," Sparatus answered slowly.

"Yeah, depending on how far they are, I wouldn't hold out much hope for them. I haven't found an example to test another theory my scientists were concerned about wherein is there a certain point in which indoctrination becomes runaway, so indoctrination can continue without the presence of Reaper technology?" I shrugged. "No comment. We might have had a good idea if _someone_ had left us be to help save your worthless asses," I grumbled.

"I suppose we were far too hopeful you would be willing to co-operate, Miss Shaik," Tevos sighed softly. I simply snorted.

"Darling, if you had simply tried to contact me instead of sending every Spectre in the galaxy after me, I doubt I would be so resistant," I answered sourly. Tevos sighed slowly through her nose. "I am not completely unreasonable. But I digress, I've diverted us, haven't I? What about Xanthe and Sovereign?" I leaned against the chair, trying to keep an eye on each of the four faces before me. Sparatus straightened his back.

"We have tried fruitlessly for months to recover the data you had collected on the Reapers and their forces to no avail. We had prepared for that outcome after early reports a week or so after the remains of your ship were brought in. After your strike against Saria, we came to the conclusion that you must have some knowledge of the Reapers, knowledge we did not have… Saria's actions and autopsy are a testament to that," Sparatus paced before me, piercing eyes seeking a weakness in my armour. "With the in incoming threat of this Reaper invasion and without Shepard to help us deal with the issue-"

"Wait, you _believe_ that the Reapers are coming?" I gaped. "But you've been working your asses off the say Shepard was crazy! I mean, he was… and an asshole but still!"

"Do you honestly take us for fools?" Valern frowned. "The evidence we have collected on the Reapers shows there is too much information to ignore. But if the galaxy learns of an impending invasion? There would be mass exodus; shutdown of commerce, peace destroyed as panic set in, every man, woman and child out for themselves! Informing the people of the galaxy the truth would allow the Reapers to walk over us without requiring any further action, we would have destroyed ourselves as the galactic political and commerce systems collapsed! No, we will prepare for the invasion subtly, new weapons and armour, without alerting the public to the real threat,"

I just stared helplessly, slack-jawed.

"That is where you come in. Well, your crew initially," Udina crossed his arms, almost groaning. "We realised that we had no idea where to even begin in our investigations. We do not know anything regarding the Reapers other than Shepard's reports and then we were further startled by the realisation they had sleeper agents within our own species already, as you dub 'Saboteurs'. It was about 3 weeks after your capture when we realised we would need some… experience hands leading the way. That was when we decided to put your crew to good use. We made arrangements and prepared a new ship for the sole purpose of hunting these Saboteurs and Reaper related incidents. Once complete, we released the 22 strong crew under a new captain and a small team of officers with new crew members to replace the ones lost during your arrest. That was when the problems began," Udina growled.

"You crew has refused to co-operate, Miss Shaik," Tevos explained. "The exact words from a Mr Lanster Taynus was 'Over my dead body will I pilot this bird for the assholes you put in charge. I have a captain and she's behind bars'. The rest of your crew appear to share the same sentiment. We have tried countless captains and commanders, even a few admirals. Your crew remains stubbornly so. Your crew also became very – how should I put this delicately – violent when we tried putting Spectre Marruns as captain-" Tevos frowned over my howling laughter. I kicked the air helplessly, a picture of Marruns captaining my crew floating in my head. Oh, the turian would be dead within minutes!

"You people," I managed through insane giggles. "Are idiots!"

"We have learned our lesson, Miss Shaik," Udina frowned severely. "It is unfortunate it has required the destruction of 3 docks. Your pilot took it upon himself to barrel roll the ship while still docked. He repeated it twice more with the subsequent captains until we have reached our current point," That set off another round of pelting laughter from me. Oh Lanster, you lovable lug!

"So we have a proposition for you," Valern folded his hands behind his back, standing tall as I managed to pull myself together. "You will retake your position as Captain as part of our Reaper Repulsion Task Force, however, due to your… nature, we have decided against giving your complete control of the crew and ship. You will advise and answer to a commanding Admiral or person of higher rank than your own, whomever we decide to put in charge of the ship. You will relay the commands to the crew and-" he stopped once I burst out laughing once more, although I made sure to keep a sour tone to whole thing.

"Are you serious? I'm going to be purely a middleman and go 'oh well I see some Saboteur activity over there! Should we check it out, Admiral-senpai?' No commanding authority whatsoever other than 'Admiral said this and now I'm saying it. Hop to it'? My crew still won't co-operate! They aren't bloody stupid like you lot! They'll just throw your 'admiral' out the airlock at the first opportunity!" I glared coldly at the four.

"On top of which, I refuse to be a puppet to the likes of you, especially if you are going to make me force my crew to follow another person's retarded orders! You people chased me across the entire galaxy because you refused to stop and begin dialogue! No, fuck you and your task force! I'd rather let Nyryntha have a good crack at you than willingly follow you! I am not one of your pet Spectres willing to U-turn on every moral they have to 'get the job done'. Seriously, fuck you!" I snarled.

"Miss Shaik, please be reasonable-" Tevos tried.

"Reasonable? Reasonable?! You people poked and prodded me for weeks when you captured me! I don't even know half of what those fucking brain scans and blood samples were meant to prove! I know you didn't find anything because we couldn't! And we knew what to look for, you incompetent assholes! 20 of my crew, of my fucking family, are dead because of you! I kept trying to do my bloody duty, kept trying to find ways to stop the Reapers! I knew if I surrendered to you I would just be locked up, tested, dissected, whatever! I'd never see the day of light again! I would never be able to fulfil my duty! I'm here trying to save your worthless asses from monsters like me and you're doing everything in your power to stop me! And you're telling me to be reasonable?! I thundered.

"Shaik-" Udina slammed his hand through the air firmly.

"Fuck. You!" I barked, seething viciously in my chair. If only I wasn't tied into it… Try to kill me then use me, will you?!

The Councillors stood as statues, watching me with impartial expressions. Tevos took a few steps back before turning, stroking her chin slowly. Sparatus, Udina and Valern joined her, Udina grumbling about 'stubborn' or something. I snarled at him before he turned to Tevos. I ground my teeth as I heard the hushed whispers, the barest traces of words that I couldn't quite hear. My frustration rattled my shoulders, I nearly bit my tongue off I was grinding my teeth so much. Valern sighed heavily. Every muscle tensed, desperate to kick him in the face. I was overdue for a salarian kicking!

Then Tevos smiled a touch and secured her hands behind her back. She slowly turned back to me, retaking the steps she had surrendered before.

"Then you leave us with no other option, Miss Shaik," she began. I glared miniature suns at her. "If you will not co-operate, then we will be forced to re-arrest the rest of your crew. Many of your crew members are wanted for several other crimes on top of the assisted murder for Commander Saria. Mari T'Seir was to return to Thessia to resume her work for the Asari Republics. She refused and abandoned her contract. She has been summoned back to Thessia and are on the brink of an arrest warrant for her return,"

"Mat'al Delern, Anthon Cerr and Saldan Liseol are wanted by the Salarian Union and the STG for unauthorised entry into secure government servers, treason and sabotage in regards to several high profile pieces of data relating to the STG and Mat'al Delern also has the additional charge of theft of an STG prototype, namely your ship," Valern added.

"Bullshit! The STG gave us the _Starquake_ to track down and study the Saboteurs!" I screeched.

"To which you then stole once they demanded it returned, not long after a visit to Illium, I believe," Valern waved a hand dismissively. I growled in my throat.

"Rolidin…" I muttered venomously.

"The Turian Hierarchy has demanded the immediate arrest of Valérien Autillin for theft of military vehicle and abandonment of his cabal force," Sparatus snorted. "He betrayed his own team, Miss Shaik. We do not take such behaviour lightly…"

"We have also received word from the Illuminated Primacy, the Hanar wish to know why one of their agents has been spying on them as well as demanding an explanation for the apparent kidnapping and death of one of their diplomats," Udina finished.

"Unless of course," Tevos smiled, a coy play on the corner of her lips. "They are assigned onto a Council funded task force. Nothing more than a few words would put everything to bed. Saria's murder? A strike by our task force to protect the Council. Abandonment of their positions? Drafted for their skills in a secret project. The other crimes of sabotage and spying? Ensuring none of our enemies had pierced our most important assets of the military, politics and economy,"

My jaw was slowly slacking with her words, a vague understanding forming.

"The murder of Arnold Keplar?" Udina took a few steps towards me, slow and deliberate. "A poor girl saying her last farewells caught in cross-fire of an organised strike against him, panicking when police arrived," the words slow, the tone deep. A moist cake offered on a golden platter.

"But as the crew will not follow another captain – and as you refuse to take up the position – none of this can happen… unless someone yields," Sparatus finished.

"You bastards… you absolute bastards. You're blackmailing me," I breathed, my anger simmering below horror.

"A deal, Miss Shaik," Valern stepped forward, all four crowding me, towering high above me. My breath was sharp and shallow, I trembled as everything felt too small, too cramped. I struggled for air as rage singed my bones. "Work for us, with unyielding loyalty to us and we will allow you to lead your crew, not as a middleman but as a Captain. You answer only to us and a handful of other personnel. Work for us and all of your – and more importantly, your crew's – crimes will vanish. A few words to the right delegates and you shall never hear of them again,"

"What shall it be, Miss Shaik?" Tevos asked slowly, a confident smile on her face. I spun frantically between them, stomach twisting like a French knot.


	26. Chapter 26

_The Fact Sheet, Timeline and Saboteur Sheet have been updated for this chapter. Please see profile for the link._

* * *

I stomped down the halls, gnashing my teeth furiously as my blood boiled. Fucking Council, fucking Spectres, fucking everything! ARGH! I marched around a corner, working my ass off to stop my fist meeting the turian's face striding behind me. I barely listened to the second turian's directions beside me as I meandered around the maze of corridors that was this 'private docking bay'. It looked exactly the bloody same as the normal docking bays! I grumbled loudly, trying to ignore the stung glare at my back.

"Marruns, if your eyes don't divert now, I'm punching your face in," I seethed. The sandy turian straightened his back, plates drawing together angrily. He snorted, raising his chin to stare over my head. The dark blue-silver turian with only some vivid red marks beside me tutted.

"That is not the behaviour of a Spectre, boy," he retorted. Marruns glared, but only the natural order of the turians kept his mouth shut. Drutus Barahatus was technically a retired admiral, a Spectre as well, but had been drafted into my crew to keep order among the four, yes _four_, Spectres forced upon me. The admiral was going to take some time getting used to taking orders from someone of lower rank.

Marruns was one of those Spectres as well, despite my protests. Marruns whined like a baby for hours with the Council once he learned I had been released. He wouldn't shut the fuck up so the Council, to keep him out of their hair, passed him onto me. This wasn't going to go down well with my crew at all...The third Spectre was an asari, Rosmeni Fa'Ano. A reasonably young Spectre, but determined if only a little bit too much on the merciless side for me. She had an impressive service record, especially since 283 was still quite young for an asari. The blue asari had red marks blocked over her eyes, tentacles and forehead. The final Spectre was a brownish skin-toned salarian, Sitoln Noverok. I had never met the man, as far as I was aware. Ex-STG and damn good at stealth missions. Other than that, the quiet alien seemed amused by Marruns' and me.

"Down to the left, Shaik. We've arrived at the dock," Drutus concluded.

"Thank fuck, the sooner I get away from here and get 5 minutes of peace the better," I grumbled. The long metal hallways finally ended and I burst out onto Dock PT25. A quick scan very quickly locked my legs, the air frozen in my lungs. I gaped.

The _Starquake_ lay before me, rotary lazily turning.

But it had been ripped apart! It had only been about 5 months since the Council decided to re-create the crew, they couldn't have possibly have put an order in for it to be done by now! She looked… off, I frowned with a tilt of my head. She retained her fanned plates and rotary system but something seemed off. I managed to make my legs move, heart bursting in my chest. As I drew closer, I could appreciate the differences.

She had an obvious paint job; the edges of the plates, a broken fan design that curled on the tail and a long strike down the side were a bright lavender colour, matching our previous uniform code. A dark grey stripe stained the flanks of the _Starquake_ above the purple stripe. Behind the rotary on the dark stripe, _'STARQUAKE'_ was painted. She finally had her name on her! The nose seemed more pronounced, a little bit boxy and there were only 3 layers of fanned plates instead of 4. The windows had been re-arranged slightly on the cockpit too. And the engines, oh dear Lord they put new engines on her! The black engines had a metal plate on the top, 'RSS-2' painted on them. The same code was painted on the nose below the airlock.

I stopped at the ramp to her airlock, a sense of homesickness slowly easing. My eyes stung as I looked at her. Oh God, she was a magnificent sight for jailed eyes! I nearly ran up the ramp to the airlock, desperation blinding sense. I hesitated at the airlock however, despite my raging emotions. Biting my lip, tension crawled up my spine. The remainder of my crew was in there, waiting and causing trouble. What would their reaction be?

"Are we going in or what?" Marruns grumbled sourly. I whipped around, almost wishing I could make a robotic growl to scare the shit out of him. I didn't trust Nyryntha to co-operate though.

"I have been trapped inside a tiny box for 6 months knowing full well half my crew is dead and my ship destroyed. And I have one of those things back now. So shut. Up!" I snarled. Marruns almost pouted in fury. With that, I marched into the _Starquake_ with new vigour.

The interior didn't feel cramped and dank or deathly pale, I was surprised to find. A mixture of blue-purple lights shining up from the floor gave it a nice balance between the two with darkened floor and lightened roof. Sure, when I strolled down the hall, the CIC windows showed me a brightly lit room with a darkened second floor for holographic screens, all clean metal shining but it wasn't blinding. It was actually quite pleasing to the eye. Although, there was toilet paper everywhere, and drinks, and food, and …was Valérien on my fucking chair?! The asshole! My hackles rattled as the copper turian leaned back on the captain's chair, carelessly tossing an old drinks can on the floor. I popped my jaw as I noted a door. I stomped down to it

The noise! It was borderline riot levels! And who the hell put heavy metal music on of all things?! The stairs in the corner of the room, by the door, spiralled up and down. Did they go through all the decks? Sweet! I clambered up the stairs towards to walkway, my entrance completely ignored. I doubted anyone could hear me over this bloody 'music'. I studied the scene from above, curious as to the absolute train wreck that was the CIC. It needed a damn good wash. To be kind.

Stopping in the middle of a supposed empty spot without computer banks and a mountain of trash in the way, I pulled out my omni-tool, using the codes given to me by the Council to access the _Starquake's_ servers. I immediately shut the music off, my words already forming in my mouth.

"AUTILLIN!" I thundered angrily. I almost purred as he flipped, nearly tumbling out of the chair in surprise. His eyes turned skywards, mandibles flared wider than I thought possible. "Get your ass out of my fucking chair! Goddam it! 6 months away from you, 1 minute on the bloody ship and you're already pissing me off!" The silence that hit me was heavier than I anticipated. I didn't recognise a lot of faces… I suppressed the shudder rolling down my shoulders.

"Line up people! C'mon! We've got work to do! Everybody in here! Hustle, hustle, hustle!" I ordered, clapping my hands for good measure.

It spurred people at the very least. People scrambled from their lounged positions, forming random lines of people before me as Val tumbled out of my chair to reach an intercom. His voice cracked throughout the ship. 'All crew to CIC, all crew to CIC. This is not a drill. I repeat, this is not a drill. All crew to CIC'. A ringing bell trembled through the air. Within seconds, people thundered into the room, sprinting for all their worth. Mat'al strolled in, confused at first as he cast his eyes up, noting the upturned heads of the line-up. His step quickened.

It only took about a minute, but the whole crew was here, a full complement to top it off. 45 crew members and I only knew just over half. This was going to be a long few months… The waited, hands behind their backs. I took in a deep breath, my earlier nerves dissolving.

"Long time no see, my friends. Glad to see you're all kicking," I grinned. A few friendly smiles popped up. "As you may have guessed, the situation has changed, all thanks to you by the way so thank you. I am resuming my position as captain...although I wish I could say it was under healthier terms," I scowled at Marruns behind me, earning a sulk. "I am unsure as to what you know but I'll keep this brief and have a report prepared with the full details at a later date, there is a lot that needs to be done.

"Firstly to my original crew members; the Council has waved all previous crimes you may or may not have committed willingly. The end of Saboteur Saria is included in it, as are all of my previous crimes. In return, we are now employed by the Council as a specialised Reaper strike team, known as the RRTF, the Reaper Repulsion Task Force. We will receive any funds, equipment and any and all expertise we require when we need them so we won't be in a similar situation as we were almost a year ago. We won't need to do any mercenary jobs for the near future. To my new crew, while I understand this is all incredibly… unusual, I look forward to working with you all for the future. Hopefully we can kick some Reapers in the ass," I explained, my voice loud in the quiet CIC. "XO, Commanders, step forward," I ordered.

To my dismay, 3 unknown people stepped from the masses. A brass coloured male turian with angular, vivid purple marks saluted, yellowish eyes sharp and posture tall. A male red salarian with teal coloured eyes, red spots stroked in black and patched yellow flakes under his eyes and lips saluted, eyes straight although his posture wasn't as tight as the turian. The final was a dark but vivid asari, dark dots at the corner of her eyes and a tear drop between her brows. She saluted with experience. I turned, very slowly and jittery, to Drutus. He secured his hands behind his back under my scrutiny.

"The crew was reshuffled when it was brought together," he responded. I blinked blankly before turning to the three people. A quick scan of the crowd behind showed my original crew were either indifferent or miffed. I was outright insulted.

"Yeah, how exactly can I run 4 teams with 2 commanders? They'd be worked off their feet!" I growled. "Secondly, and I mean no insult to you lady and gentlemen, but I need people with experience of Reapers in my meetings,"

"The Council-" Marruns began. I snapped to him, finger jabbing him in the chest.

"Put _me_ in charge. I am un-shuffling the reshuffle. This is now my ship, my crew and my ass on the line! I am captain! This is my decision. To my old XO and Commanders, get down to the front! There is no bloody way the Council is dictating how I order my crew," I grumbled sourly.

Raisha and Mat'al shared a look, Mat'al almost entertained as he strolled forward. Raisha chuckled as she patted Shayan on her way towards me. The quarian jumped in surprise, seemed to stammer a little before Indira grabbed his arm and dragged him down the front, crying out for help. Val snorted, a grin creeping on his face as he pulled himself out of the line to join the others. That seemed to set off the brass turian.

"Are you kidding me?" he gaped. Val turned very stiff, keeping his eyes ahead. "You're putting him in charge? But he's barefaced!" he thundered furiously. I blinked, my vision tunnelling on Val's expression. His plates were held very tightly, eyes dead ahead on the wall before him, shoulders tense. I glanced to my side, towards Drutus.

I snatched the pistol at his side and fired.

The bullet soared past his head, crashing into the floor. The turian was frozen, the new crew members screamed in surprise and stepped back in horror. My original crew were hardly phased, a few even laughed.

"Ever," I muttered venomously. "Insult anyone in my crew with such a bullshit stereotype again, I will blast your fucking brains out. Do I make myself clear?" I was astounded when, frozen as he was, he managed a stiff nod. I straightened my shoulders "Good. Valérien Autillin is Commander of the Combat team. End. Of. Discussion,"

"A-Aye, aye, Captain," he stuttered. I reluctantly returned the pistol, Drutus smirking a touch.

"Commanders, XO, to the war room. We have things to discuss. Oh and Lanster," I called. Lanster glanced up, a grin on his face. "I want all requisition orders in within the hour. I want the _Starquake_ flying ASAP. Also, for the crew," I picked up some toilet paper on the railing, allowing it to flutter to the ground. "I want this ship spotless. I will be doing a full inspection later this evening. I want out of here tonight. Dismissed!" The room cried 'Aye, Aye Captain' before they thundered in all directions. The brass turian left without question, the salarian and asari were more reluctant to leave.

I strolled down walkway, trying to keep my commanders and XO in sight as they disappeared into the door at the back of the CIC. I didn't even see the elevator, how much of the _Starquake_ had been overhauled? I clambered down the stairs, trying to keep my pace steady and confident as people began to swell around me in my scrambled attempt to make it look like I knew where I was going. The Spectres were on my heels like sharp needles jabbing my back whenever I slowed down. I passed through the door to bring me back into the hall before. I blinked, disorientated. I… The floor plan had completely changed.

Shit.

Lost, I powered into the door ahead of me, pleading I was going the right way. That was when I could see the elevator and a welcome face waiting for me in the wider hall. On my left was the new med bay, now finally on a floor without an elevator ride. The right had a room with computers, desks and this strange orb thing with screens floating on the surface. I turned to the welcome face as she grinned and pushed herself off the elevator shaft, two doors behind it on either side.

"Thought you might get lost, Dellion," Indira winked. I snorted softly.

"You know me well, Indira," I grinned back. The drell skipped backwards a few steps before turning, passing through the door on one side of the elevator, leading to the back of the deck. Following, I was in another narrow strip of a hallway. Indira turned left and powered into room. I was not long in following.

The new war room was actually quite nice. It had stripes of wooden panel separated by metal ribbing around a massive wooden, oval table with a hollowed middle, a circular table projector glowing in preparation. Raisha and Mat'al were standing, Shayan had lowered himself into one of the high backed chairs and Val was leaning on the table itself. I grappled Indira around the neck, yanking her into a hug. The drell laughed merrily, before easily breaking out of my grasp and bear hugging me. I gagged for air.

"I've missed you, Dellion! It's been so quiet! Oh prison was horrible, the food! Oh it tasted like mud!" Indira cried. I struggled to find air to speak.

"L-Like you pancakes?" I wheezed. Indira frowned severely, dropping me on the ground. I squeaked as I landed hard on my ass. Indira crossed her arms as she sulked.

"No, that's my leaf pancakes! It's my mud spaghetti, geez!" she rolled her eyes. I managed to cough out a laugh.

"Sorry. Ah Christ, I think you broke a rib," I gagged, grabbing hold a chair to haul myself up.

"You'll live," Mat'al chuckled. I managed a smile as I forced air into my lungs.

"I know, still hurts like a bitch," I grumbled. I eventually surrendered and hugged the tall salarian. "I've missed you, you psychotic prick," I heard Mat'al's sharp laughter with a grin on my face.

"Get it out of your system now, human," he grinned widely. "The pistol comes back out tomorrow," I groaned loudly at the prospect.

"This better not come back and bite me in the ass later," I sulked as I patting his shoulder, moving onto Raisha. The krogan's hug was a well needed rock.

"You look well, Endellion," she commended, her voice rumbling my entire frame.

"Apparently 6 months in a prison cell is a good holiday," I grinned up at her. "I've missed it though, I'm ready to get back into it,"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Did she just say what I think she said?" Val asked, clinging to the table in feigned horror. "Is she feeling alright?!" I glared at the turian.

"Ass," I growled. "I was going to give you a hug but I'm tempted to just hurl you out the airlock now…" Val smirked before he strolled over. Despite my protests, he hauled me into a hug. I glowered up at him while he stared smugly down at me.

"You've missed it," he winked.

"Sure, whatever helps you sleep at night," I grumbled before reluctantly hugging the massive turian. He chuckled, content.

"It's been quiet without you, Captain," Shayan perked, scurrying over for a hug. I smiled widely before clamping my arms around him. "We were worried…"

"I know, I'm sorry. I've missed you, big guy," I squeezed gently before giving myself some space.

"One question, though," Mat'al asked calmly. I blinked. He raised an arm, pointing at something near the door. Turning, the Spectres were watching, although Marruns was glowering at Mat'al's finger. "Why is he here?" I sighed heavily as Marruns pouted.

"Not my idea, sadly," I strutted over to the table, sitting on it as I studied the faces around me. "The Council has put me in charge of their Reaper strike team, however someone complained about my release from prison and in order to get rid of him, they stuck on my crew," I snorted. "I can't do anything about him, sorry,"

"Right," Val began slowly. "So what is going on, exactly?" I shrugged loosely.

"The Council dragged me into a meeting with them a few hours ago, asking me to act as a middleman to you guys. Originally, they wanted you to do the Reaper related stuff and keep me behind bars where they could study me. Although, your outright rebellion caused them to change the plan. I told the Council that putting me under an Admiral and forwarding their commands wasn't going to work and then they started to piss me off. Refusing any offer they gave me, they finally blackmailed me into taking the job as Captain. I have free rein over what we do and where we go, but I report to the Council. In exchange, I am loyal to the Council and I carry a small team of Spectres on board, a) in order to keep an eye on me and b) to grant us access to anywhere we go should we need it. It also means we have access to the Spectre equipment and prototype Council tools and equipment if we need it," I explained.

"Once the ship is ready to leave, then I'll get all the stuff to the intel team to dig through I've been given. I'll also need to see the crew structure and learn the new layout of the _Starquake_," I flicked up a faint smile. "Maybe now we'll finally be able to do some work,"

"Fingers crossed," Mat'al answered blankly, eyes on the Spectres.

"Right, so I've got to report to the Council on an update. They aren't convinced this is was going to calm your little rebellion," I stretched, jumping off the table. "Then I'll go hi to Gideon wherever the little bugger has gone, check the requisition orders-"

"Ah, Dell," Shayan coughed. I blinked, turning to him. "Uh… A-About Gideon…" a heavy, cold weight settled in my chest, straightening my spine. My eyes flicked to the other commanders as they shuffled. "He's uh… not here. N-No one has seen him in 6 months…"

"What do you mean he's not here? Where is he!?" I demanded.

"The human embassy secured him when we docked on the Citadel, before our incarceration," Raisha rumbled. I gaped at her. "It was a most difficult sight,"

"He was wild, Dell," Val sighed. "We couldn't do anything, he was screaming and thrashing and…Spirits forgive, he managed to nearly KO one human he was so desperate,"

I was helpless, gagging at the words before me. I… I had planned to give him over to the human embassy at some point but… wild? Screaming? No… no that wasn't right. Dammit, that kid… that pain in the ass kid was…The cold weight vaporised as a fury ignited. I whipped around to the Spectres behind me.

"Where is he?" I demanded darkly. Sitoln shrugged.

"Can't say. I never kept up with the boy," he responded.

"Then I want you to take a message to the Council," I told him quietly, surprised I wasn't screaming. The Spectres' flicked their eyes between each other warily. "This ship does not leave the Citadel until Gideon is back on deck. Do I make myself clear?

"But-"

"Do. I. Make. Myself. Clear?" I hissed through gritted teeth. The aliens were still before me. Sitoln glanced to Drutus. The elderly turian eventually nodded stiffly.

"Very well, I shall oversee this," Sitoln sighed, turning on his heel to leave the War Room.

"You are dismissed," I growled to the other Spectres. Marruns opened his mouth, plates drawn together when Rosmeni looped an arm around his neck and dragged him out. Marruns gagged and coughed out weak curses. Drutus followed soon after, casting a glance over his shoulder to me before the door closed. I breathed heavily for a time.

"Is this wise, Endellion?" Raisha asked quietly. I snapped to face her. The krogan kept her gaze, unafraid. "It is difficult to say how much danger he may be in once returned to us,"

"Raisha, the Reapers are on their way. In a few years' time, we'll all be dead if we don't do something. If Gid was completely wild and flipping his shit when they took him away, I can only imagine what has happened to him since then. This is Gideon's home, as is mine. Yeah, it'll be dangerous but he wants to help," I responded stubbornly, turning to the door. "Oh and Shayan, Val, you really need to work on keeping things a secret," I raised a brow as I stared at them over my shoulder. The pair tensed. "I have access to the camera feeds from my room, I knew full well what Gideon was doing in those bloody vents. Also, Raisha told me,"

"Raisha!" Val and Shayan gawked. The krogan shrugged, a slight smile on her face.

"The child is close to Endellion's heart. If Endellion had discovered it, she would have panicked. After calming her, I assured her he was in safe hands. She trusted you to keep Gideon safe, Shayan," Raisha answered smoothly. Shayan flushed under his red mask, coughing slightly. Val crossed his arms, bouncing on his toes as he judged my mood. I snorted softly before leaving the war room.

Although, I was immediately lost once back in the unfamiliar hallways. Why was there so many halls?!


	27. Chapter 27

"So, let me get this straight. Satrino told you if you should ever be brought together to form some kind of group again, you were to kick up as big of a fuss as you possibly could to see if the Council would release me?" I blinked. Val grinned widely.

"I think we did a pretty good job," he purred, puffing out his chest. I snorted.

"Actually, I think it was Lanster barrel-rolling the still-docked _Starquake_ 3 times that did it," I smirked. Val sulked a touch, shoulders dropping. I laughed at his sullen expression. "Although you did help out. Even if you ruined my chair,"

"Oh would you shut up about that bloody chair," Val grumbled. I nearly giggled, causing Val to hurl a cushion at me. I squealed as I fell off the bed, trying to avoid it. His roaring laughter only caused my flushed face to glow even hotter. I growled at the now smug turian grinning triumphantly on my sofa.

"Fuck you," I snarled. Damn that alien! "When the hell is Gideon getting back here? The sooner we take off, the sooner you can piss off,"

"Not sure, but I'm just enjoying catching up on 6 months of torment," Val smirked. I hurled the thrown cushion at him, although he was smart enough to duck. "My, you are rusty. Maybe you need an expert to show you how it's done," he mocked. I fumed.

"Security!" I cried. Val's face fell.

"W-Wait, wait, wai- ah fuck!" Val cursed as he leapt off the sofa, a purple drone screeching madly at him. "Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!" Val squealed as Mar hurtled towards him, sparking with a promise of pain. I laughed, somewhat nursed, as the drone crashed into the turian's chest and the pair flew out the room. I preened myself in the quiet.

God, I missed being queen!

It had been a glorious morning; I had muesli for breakfast – actual muesli and not some cheap military rations – with a good coffee to keep me perked, all the requisition orders were in, the teams had been finalised, the ship was ready for take-off and everything was falling neatly back into place. Now I just had to wait for the human embassy to return Gideon and we were good to go!

I stretched as I pulled myself to my feet. The bed was slightly better than the last one, much to my alarm's delight. Still, the damn thing had been set to 7:30am and the controls locked from me! It was as if they didn't trust me or something. My room wasn't too dissimilar to the last _Starquake_; it had a raised platform in the back with the sofa and bed, the lower floor had the bathroom and the desk which made turning off the alarm even more of a hassle.

Exiting the room, I smirked at the sulking Val, sitting on the floor with a scowl on his face, my drone circling above him. I raised my nose a touch before walking past him. The hall was wider now, a lot wider, and it had more rooms. There were even 4 rooms that pointed towards the elevator instead of towards each other. The Spectres had chosen the bottom rooms, near the elevator. Or forced, more like it. Raisha and Mat'al were up top with me, with Indira and Val one down from them and Shayan and Gideon would be down from there. That the final pair of rooms empty.

Val grudgingly found his feet before shadowing me, grumbling loudly enough to make his stung pride known. Mar bounced behind me happily. I smiled sweetly just to rub a touch of salt in there. His stuck out tongue told me it worked. I strode into the elevator, hitting the button for the CIC.

The second floor was the upper crew deck. This was their sleeping quarters with plenty of space, sofas and whatever they needed for the early morning or late evenings. The front of the deck was an exercise area. Weights, a sparring ring, everything we really needed to keep us in top form. It also didn't mean we had to clear space in the cargo hold anymore for sparring competitions. I was always knocked out in the first round, I grumbled sourly. The Lower crew deck was deck 3. The rear of the deck was the kitchens – one kitchen for dextro-amino and another for levo-amino. The elevator was also in this room. Behind them was two lounges on either side of you, one of which had a bar. I could tell from the requisition order that they had gotten through just about all of the alcohol on board as well. Beyond that was the upper CIC walkways. Above the cockpit was a front lounge as well. Lots of places to go during downtime.

Deck 4 was the busiest deck as I burst onto the floor. The CIC looked directly into the cockpit now, I could see Lanster doing something or another up there with the new flight crew. Behind me was the new med bay, the intel room opposite it, the war room and the labs. This was the working deck as it were. Down below on deck 5 was engineering. We had engineering itself in the rear of the _Starquake_ with the batteries for the main cannon and the secondary cannons on either side. It'd keep them busy. The 6th deck was the cargo hold with 3 new shuttles; 2 small and 1 large. There was also an odd work area for weapons and armour. It looked rather haphazard to me, if I was perfectly honest, as if someone had completely forgotten about it while designing it and thrown it into the nearest, most convent empty space available.

"Morning, Shaik," Drutus greeted as I strode into the Command Ring. He was fixated on a datapad as he leaned on a console.

"Morning, Bargatus. Any update on Gideon?" I asked as I dropped into the captain's chair. The elderly turian looked up from the datapad reluctantly.

"I've heard the embassy was on the way, if they aren't here already," he reported curtly. I spun the chair to face the nose of the _Starquake_.

"Lanster, you better not be playing pong up there!" I teased. The turian flinched before spinning in his chair with a pout on his face. I laughed merrily.

"I don't like you being able to look into the cockpit now," he called, grumbling. I winked teasingly. Lanster just sulked before propping his shoulders up. "The embassy is just outside the dock, Captain. Not sure when they are coming in through,"

"Thank you, Lanster. Go back to your pong, I get the feeling Mari would kick your ass at it," I retorted. I heard his short laugh as he turned to the pale asari. His resulting sulk told me Mari agreed.

"Val, tell the crew to prepare for take-off. Hopefully this will only take a few minutes," I ordered.

"Aye, aye, Captain," he responded formally, eyes on the dark Spectre.

I pushed myself off the chair, marching towards the corridor door. I heard Val's voice ring behind me as he called out orders but generally I left him to it. He seemed more willing to follow my command now, although I was having a hard time deciding if it was the incarceration or his father's attack that did it. I was out the airlock and still couldn't decide which one to go for.

Out on the dock, I could see through a glass panel near the door a group of humans, talking with the dock master probably – or was it still harbour master? I shook my head as I leaned on the nearby banister, frowning a touch. I didn't see Gideon among the group of humans. He wouldn't have been hard to miss. 6 months had passed though, I had no idea how much he had grown. Eventually, my presence was noticed by a tall, dark skinned woman with greying hair. A quick word to those around her and they eventually burst out onto the dock.

Initially, it was just the dark woman and an overweight, pale male with a shoulder back slung over his head that strode towards me. I straightened, pulling my shoulders back when I spied the woman's severe frown. I raised my nose a touch to compensate for my lack of height. The pair walked up the ramp to meet me outside the airlock. The male, I had no qualms with. He appeared relatively relaxed. I offered a hand as they stopped.

"Good morning, Ma'am, sir," I greeted. The man shook my hand firmly.

"Good morning, Mrs Shaik-" he began. I coughed.

"Ah, just Miss, thank you," I corrected gently. He offered me a small smile. The woman folded her arms, towering over me, ignoring my hand entirely.

"Anita Jenkins and Mark Harrison, Child Support Unit for the Human Embassy," the woman responded sourly. My hackles rattled a touch. I took a quick glance to her hand propped on her arm.

"Good morning, Mrs Jenkins. Thank you for looking after Gideon these past few months," I responded, teeth gritted a touch.

"Well someone had to parent the boy after your so-called attempt," she snorted. My expression blanked, every muscle taut.

"I beg your pardon?" I said, tone dead. Mark coughed.

"Apologies, Miss Shaik, Anita has been trying to foster Gideon for about 4 months now. We have discovered some… uh, how best to say this, severe psychological problems," Mark explained.

"Such as?" I asked slowly. Anita straightened, lips compressed into a tight line. Mark patted her shoulder firmly, a hard frown on his face. His expression softened when he returned to me.

"The poor boy suffers from a severe separation anxiety the likes I have never seen. 6 months and the boy still hasn't settled. There has been nothing but escape attempts since day 1 and he fights us at every turn. Took us weeks before he would willingly, or at the least grudgingly, eat," Mark explained

"I would have thought his _mother_ would have known about these and sought help," Anita snarled. My still expression crumbled, my jaw to the floor.

"Wait, what?" I gagged. "What's this about being a mother? What?!" I demanded. Anita's expression fell a touch.

"You aren't his… mother?" Anita asked slowly.

"No! I rescued him about 8 months ago from the remains of a batarian slave ship! How old do you think I am?! I'm only 26! Gideon is, what, 11, 12 now?" I gawked. Anita stared, completely dumfounded.

"I ah… see," Mark stumbled for words. "Well that uh… causes-"

"DELL!" I heard a voice screech.

My eyes were torn from the satisfying gawk of Anita's face to the blond terror himself struggling against the grip of another human, a dark haired male. Gideon whipped around and slammed a fist into his jaw. I was helpless – stuck between horror and pride – as the man stumbled away and Gideon twirled onto the deck. Within seconds, he was on his feet, charging up the ramp. Mark, more able to respond than Anita, held up his hands as if to stop him. Gideon swerved wide.

Then I found myself flat on my ass as Gideon piled into me. I wheezed in surprise as my ribs rattled. It took me a few seconds to centre myself, and then another few to realise Gideon was still flailing for a tighter grip on me. I hugged him, gently hushing him in his ear to stop him crushing my ribs.

"Hey, hey, calm down, buddy," I soothed quietly. Gideon was pressed tightly to my shoulder, quivering. "It's ok, you're alright, big guy," I ruffled his hair gently. He slowly plucked up the courage to look up at me, eyes red and cheeks soaked. "Why are you crying, huh? What's up?"

"I-I didn't think I'd ever see you again," he whimpered. My heart fluttered a touch. I dragged him into a tight hug. He eagerly clung to me.

"Silly Gideon, I'm a Shaik, we're too stupid to just die or vanish," I grinned. Gideon coughed a weak laugh. "Go on. There's three rooms left on the top deck, if you're quick you might get one that isn't blocked by the rotary. Do you want a window?" Gideon hiccupped slightly, nodding. "Go on then, go, go, go!" I nearly shoved him to his feet. Gideon scrambled for balance before starting for the _Starquake_. "And if you see Marruns, kick him in the balls!" I called as he disappeared from view. I turned to the two humans gaping at me. "Thank you for returning him. Now if you excuse me-"

"Ah miss!" Mark managed. I frowned a touch. "Well ah, the issue we have is that we uh. Well, all of his documentation now says 'Gideon Shaik'," I frowned even more. "If you aren't his mother then… that means we cannot return him to you-"

"And why the fuck not?!" I snarled. Mark shuddered.

"W-Well the boy isn't your son! All children that are in our care must be adopted to either existing or new family members. You are neither of these. We would be breaking the law by releasing him to you," Mark stammered. I quirked an eyebrow. Mark sighed. "We cannot release him to you, Miss Shaik, it would be the legal equivalent of abandonment,"

"So… unless I agree to sign the paperwork that says Gideon is my son, you would take him away again?" I simplified. Mark nodded, relieved. I breathed heavily through my nose. "Where did this whole thing stem from, anyway?"

"Uh… w-we were just given the details that Commander Bellium had obtained from the crew…" Mark answered slowly.

"The crew…" I echoed slowly, turning the words in my head until my blood bubbled. I glanced back to the _Starquake_, clucking my tongue as frustration mounted. Who said Gideon was my kid? I wasn't ready to be a bloody mother! Ah Christ, my mother would be doing her absolute nut if she was alive. My shoulders sagged. "Fine. Where do I sign?"

"B-But you haven't-" Mark tried. I glared furiously at him.

"Where?" I repeated slowly.

"You've not adopted him tho-" Mark tried again. I closed the distance, making the large man sweat.

"It will get sorted," I vowed bitterly. "Where do I sign?" Mark's eyes bulged, breath escaping him in short, sharp bursts. He shakily removed a form from a shoulder bag on a clipboard.

"J-Just here," he stammered. I nearly snatched the pen off him and signed the bloody paper. I marched back towards the _Starquake_. I left them stumbling behind me as the airlock closed. My step down the hallway was sharp and hard, my blood threatening to evaporate. I marched into the CIC were Val was still standing with a datapad as people flowed to and from him. He caught my expression.

"Ah… Dell? Why do you look ready to murder some puppies?" He asked slowly. I started marching towards the rear door.

"Commanders and XO to the war room," I ordered venomously.

"Why-" Val began. I whipped around, surprised I hadn't snapped my head clean from my neck.

"Commanders. And XO. To the war room. Now!" I thundered. Val's back straightened a touch.

"We'll be there momentarily," he answered quietly. I snorted as I stomped off down towards the room myself. Once in the room I began a furious pace up and down the length of the room. On my 3rd pace, Val slowly shuffled into the room with Raisha, the turian using the krogan as a shield. On my 4th pace, Mat'al wandered in. My 5th pace, Indira had joined and was looking very confused. My 8th pace, Shayan finally appeared. I stopped before them, hand gripping the edge of the table for fear of me punching someone. The five aliens awaited with concern or fear.

"Gideon _Shaik_?" I demanded hotly. Realisation fell over all of their faces.

"A misunderstanding," Raisha began. I breathed heavily. "At the crash site, Marruns had realised that there was a child in our crew. He asked who he was and was responded with 'He's the captain's'. Marruns assumed Gideon was a Shaik and we were not given adequate time to correct him. When Gideon was removed by the human embassy, we did not consider the consequences," Raisha explained calmly.

"Is it… a problem?" Shayan asked quiet.

"Yeah, because now I have to go through the fucking adoption process otherwise nothing short of kidnapping him is going to get him released to us!" I snapped. "26 years old with an 11 year old son? People are going to think I'm a fucking teenage mother! Do you have any idea what my mother would say if she were here? She'd skin me alive!"

"Then let us be thankful that your mother is no longer with us," Mat'al answered. I opened my mouth to thunder at him until the words hit me. My mother couldn't skin me… she wasn't here… she was dead. My rage vanished. Mourning rose to replace it. I bit my lip until I tasted blood. I could barely look Mat'al in the eye.

"…That hurt more than any bullet you have fired at me, Mat'al," I told him, almost whimpering, amazed my emotions had 180ed so strongly.

"Good. I am going to be perfectly honest with you, Dell," Mat'al raised a brow. "We all saw this coming. You should have given him to the human embassy when we first got him. But no, someone kept forgetting, or putting it off. You only have yourself to blame. Perhaps you'll think longer term in the future should this occur again. But let me make this perfectly clear," he added harshly. I was helpless under his cold gaze. "Fuck up with the boy and you'll get no sympathy from me,"

"And why should it matter to you so much? You don't even like Gideon," I asked, nails buried into the palms of my hands.

"Because I had a son once. Once," Mat'al responded. My hands released in surprise. The salarian turned then, expression frozen, as he stepped from the room without another word. The silence was crushing on my shoulders.

"Uh… i-if it's any consolation," Shayan offered. I managed to turn to him. "I'd think you'd make a great mother," I felt my lip tremble.

"Thank you. Prepare the crew. I want to take off. Now," I ordered weakly.

"Aye, aye!" the cry sounded. My eyes were on the wall as the door opened and footfalls faded. I breathed slowly, trying to shove the swirling mess of emotions away. My blood boiled in rage, my nerves danced with anxiety and my chest was frozen with despair. Dammit, a woman couldn't be simple, could she?! I started for the door, freezing when I noticed Raisha still standing there. I coughed, almost nervous.

"You are well?" Raisha asked softly. I managed a shaken smile before it collapsed. I shook my shoulders out.

"I-I don't know," I shrugged, borderline hugging myself. Raisha closed the distance, carefully easing me into a hug.

"It will work itself out in the end, Endellion," Raisha assured me. I pressed myself into the krogan.

"I'm just afraid of what Nyryntha will do to him, to everyone, when I lose," I whimpered, trying to ignore the tingle dancing through my head.


	28. Chapter 28

I sipped the coffee tentatively, frowning at the report before me. The Council certainly had given me a lot of information… a lot of contacts to boot. I had been working my intel team reasonably hard, trying to squeeze out any leads for potential Saboteurs. Nearly a month on and we were still shifting through the noise of just nonsense behaviour. At the very least we managed to catch 12 spies for several different species! I sighed.

It was about 2 weeks until my birthday, the end of November. 27 at last, I smiled grimly, and I was the captain of an anti-Reaper strike team. God help us all, I grumbled. I tossed the datapad on a nearby console, linking my fingers as I studied the crew. Everyone was just playing nice just now; Lanster, Mari, Marta – a short, blonde haired Polish lass with blue-grey eyes – and Connor – a chocolate mop-haired man with dark blue eyes from Oklahoma – all kept the cockpit busy. The engineering tunnels were bustling with the rest of the engineers, although my relief that the daily ship report was only listing very minor issues such as terrible microwave was incredible. A ship that wasn't breaking down made me a very happy captain!

Gideon took only a few hours to settle back down, but the new faces kept him quiet when he ran across them, although Marruns kept a wide berth from him. I couldn't fathom out why though, Gideon was just a kid! I could possibly explain Gideon's behaviour towards everyone else, I suppose it was just his anxiety was the root cause of that, or just not used to new people, I don't know! I didn't even know the kid had any serious anxiety issues. Sure, he had been skittish when we rescued him but he had just escaped a burning wreck. I grumbled loudly though, Gid was a kettle of fish I had been reluctant to sort out. Oh, everything was settled now, the little bugger was now officially a Shaik, much to his delight. I didn't know where he was now but no doubt I would soon hear, he was so smug these days. 'I'm the son of the captain, I can do what I want!'. I had been very, very quick to put that to bed. Nothing like Mat'al and Raisha to remind him who was in charge here. I had a vague idea of where he was, the cries of surprise or swearing were most prominent in the engineering tunnels-

"Dellion! Dellion!" I heard Indira cry, tearing into the CIC. I didn't even stir as she began bouncing around my chair.

"Yes, Indira?" I asked. Indira bent down, meeting me at eye level with a grin on her face.

"I think we found a Saboteur," she sang. I perked, sitting straighter in my chair.

"Where?" I breathed.

"Thessia. Some Matriarch with a good amount of influence in the political sphere. They sent word to the Council that a lot of people have gotten a bit… crazy. It seems to match what happened in C-Sec; headaches, weird dreams, sudden fascination with someone, rapid accent up the old career ladder. We're aren't too far from Thessia but we need to move quickly," Indira finished more seriously. I nodded firmly.

"Nicely done. C'mon, let's go kick some Saboteur ass!" I grinned. Indira smirked before bounding away. "Lanster!" I summoned. The turian glanced over his shoulder. "Set a course for Thessia. We've got a whiff of a Saboteur's trail!"

"Aye, aye, Captain!" Lanster cheered. The cockpit rumbled with activity. "ETA, 26 hours,"

"Get on it, Trouble, or you can babysit Gideon for the whole trip," I smirked. Lanster sulked a touch.

"Am I the only one who doesn't mind babysitting him? Spirits," he grumbled. I laughed, finally letting the tension run from my shoulders. It was time to get to work.

"Yes, Lanster, yes you are!" I joked as I shoved myself off the chair. I left the pilot to his grumblings as I headed for the labs. I could already see the bustle from the hall.

I was greeted by a long bank of computers running the majority of the length of the labs. The war room had stolen a fair chunk from the left side, but that just allowed a weird and wonderfully shaped bank of computers beside it. The servers were immediately to my right at the door, followed by 3 rooms for isolated tests. Saria's spine was in one of these rooms, behind a shimmering blue field that seemed to disrupt the effects of the indoctrination waves. I trusted the scientists knew what they were doing.

I found my prize lingering near the end, by the window that overlooked the upper half of the drive core. I approached, weaving around the bustle of the people at work. Mat'al glanced to me as I joined him by the window. He managed a small smile.

"You have that look in your eye," he commented. I furrowed my brow. "You had that same look when we were on course to the Citadel to deal with Saria. I am assuming this means one thing?" he quizzed.

"Another Saboteur, this time within the Asari. We're on course to Thessia now," I answered.

"Thought as much," he mused. He passed me a datapad. I frowned a smidge at it as I cautiously took it off him. "Satrino has sent us a lovely package. The omni-tools that had been confiscated from us since the crash," he grinned slowly. "We've recovered 98.2% of our original data. The other 1.8% can easily be wrangled free from the other damaged omni-tools,"

"Bloody hell, Satrino thought of everything…" I said slowly, reading the report. "I don't know how he hid them but kudos to him. I really owe the man now, don't I?"

"Indeed. Although I doubt it will help us much against this new Saboteur. Let us hope we can protect you a little better this time. We do not need you in ICU," Mat'al commented.

"Back to caring about me now?" I quizzed lightly. Mat'al snorted softly, a cold amusement lighting his eyes.

"I stopped?" he feigned surprise. I pouted at him. I squealed when I felt a sharp sting in my thigh. Mat'al's expression warmed with triumph. "Ah, so I have. Apologies,"

"What the hell was that for?!" I snapped hotly, hobbling slightly. Mat'al chuckled as he reloaded the Predator.

"Pouting. The last thing we need is two pouters on board. Marruns is painful enough," Mat'al slowly smirked. "And I haven't shot you in a while,"

"Fuck you," I snarled. Mat'al raised a brow, the Predator whipped back up. I side-stepped slightly as a shoved his arm away, although his other hand grabbed my wrist, keeping me in my half-crouched and – quite frankly – precarious position. I felt the blood run to my toes as Mat'al smiled. "Please don't do this to me here…" I pleaded. Mat'al tipped his head slightly.

I screamed when he dragged me to him, sweeping my feet from under me and hurling me over his shoulder. I landed hard on the back of my shoulders, swearing until the Predator was a few inches from my nose. I stared up at Mat'al with my best puppy dog eyes as he kept a secure hold on one of my wrists.

"I love you?" I whimpered. Mat'al's grin just took a slightly cruel spin. I gagged on the air. "SECURITY!" I screeched. Mat'al frowned a touch until Mar crashed into him, sending him wheeling off me. I rolled onto my feet, sprinting madly for the door. "Thank you, Marshal!" I cried as I tore through the door, Mat'al swearing as he struggled with the drone. I didn't stop sprinting until I was in the CIC, practically crashing into Raisha. The Spectres, mulling around the CIC boredly, gaped at me, probably dumfounded as to seeing this 'Murderous Saboteur' squealing in terror. Raisha frowned a touch as I put her between myself and the lab.

"Is there a problem?" Raisha asked slowly.

"Mat'al's going to eat me," I whimpered. Raisha was silent before sighting heavily.

"I do not even wish to know," Raisha rumbled. I whimpered softly, paranoid of the dark skinned salarian suddenly assassinating me from behind somewhere.

I didn't sleep very well that night, as you could imagine.

The following morning, we began our approach to Thessia. I hadn't been shot, which was a plus, but it was… it was hectic, mostly my fault however. I was horrified to learn that my guns – my beloved Locust and Carnifex – had also been victims of the RSS-1 crash. I refused point blank to use any SMG other than a Locust, much to Mat'al's approval. I think maybe that's why he wasn't trying to shoot me this morning. He, of all people, knew exactly what I was like with guns. I didn't need to smack myself in the face with my gun when trying to take out an indoctrinated servant. The Carnifex wasn't as much of an issue, we did have a few spare but the additions weren't the same. I just had to deal with Ultralight Materials and the extended clip. Mat'al promised me a new Locust. Val vowed to get me a new pistol, determined not to be outdone by Mat'al.

And then I had to make the report to the Council. Needless to say, Tevos was most concerned since we were dealing with her own planet here. I informed her of our possible Saboteur, a woman named Alea Shea'kal. Tevos herself knew the accused well, apparently a soft spoken and quiet woman. 'Impossible' she had cried, 'I've known the woman for over 530 years' she had exclaimed. That sparked the next hour of discussion, mostly me trying to a) ease her fears since we weren't confirming she was a Saboteur yet, just that we suspected she was and b) trying to convince Tevos that if she was a Saboteur, we would be killing her ASAP. Tevos was distressed by that outcome, she wanted us to capture her alive but they appeared to have never taken live prisoners into account when re-designing the _Starquake_. And I didn't want another Saboteur on board. I was bad enough.

Alas, in the end, I managed to calm the asari down enough to get a grudging go ahead. We had been planning on doing it regardless but now we had Council permission, just a little extra on our side. I was suited up in my new, shiny armour and standing in the cockpit as Lanster brought us in. I had been to Thessia on business as a merc leader but this… I suspected I was going to have to deal with a lot of red tape. A lot of it. I prayed the Spectres paid out. My ground team consisted of Val, Rosmeni, Marruns (and purely so he couldn't annoy my crew in my absence), Utren, Iona, Phentos – who turned out to be that brass turian I had nearly shot, Searte, a dark skinned asari and Andria. I was leaving everyone else just in case something happened back here or if I needed backup later. I wasn't taking any chances this time.

"Thessia Control, this is RSS-2 _Starquake_, requesting permission to land in Serrice," Lanster called into the radio.

_"Roger, RSS-2 _Starquake_. You are not scheduled to land today… or at all,"_ the controller responded, confused and concerned. Lanster shifted his gaze to mine. I flicked a slight smile.

"Tell her we're on a Spectre mission. Short notice," I hinted. Lanster grinned slowly.

"Aye, aye," he cracked his fingers. "RSS-2 _Starquake_, we're on a Spectre run, we didn't have time to send a flight plan. We have four of them if you wish to verify," Lanster remarked, a touch too smug to be neutral. There was a pause on the other end. My, Lanster loved digging at asari controllers…

_"Roger, RSS-2 _Starquake_. Cleared to land Dock SS-43. Verification will be needed for your Spectres however,"_ the controller warned. She sounded quite nervous.

"Roger that, cleared to land Dock SS-43. Have a good day," Lanster signed off, releasing a contented sigh. I scowled softly. "Dammit, I needed that," he purred.

"I didn't need to know what you jack off to, Lanster," I joked. Lanster squawked as he nearly fell out of his chair. Connor and Mari burst into giggles. Marta simply stared blankly at us. I didn't know if she got it or was just that unimpressed. Lanster's face was slowly glowing blue, even under the charcoal skin. I smirked at him.

"I'll get you back for this," Lanster promised. I smirked.

"Get us in safely, Lanster," I patted his shoulder. He grunted at me. I still had the wide grin when I walked out into the CIC. My crew was already waiting for me, prepared for the potential battle ahead. Rosmeni was finishing her checks of her assault rifle. She smirked eagerly as I approached.

"Ah Serrice, a shining gem in the Asari crown. Home to one of the largest financial centres in the galaxy and a major seat of power with the asari populous. Also the location for one of the commando training centres. Ah, good times," Rosmeni grinned. "Be prepared for plenty of resistance, Shaik. The asari love their secrets,"

"Thanks," I answered dryly. "Alright team, stay sharp. Also, Raisha," I turned to the krogan as she held Gideon by his scruff. Gideon flailed wildly in her grip, half dressed in some small armour. I don't know where he found it, but that had been a surprise for some lighter missions. "Please keep Gideon on the ship. Shove him in the vents if you think that will keep him here,"

"Fret not, Endellion," Raisha smiled. "I am sure I shall be able to handle Gideon. He has studies to begin,"

"Studies?" Gideon fell limp in her grip. "Like… putting things together?"

"Mathematics, history, literature-" Raisha listed. Gideon wailed loudly, struggling once more. I grinned.

"Have fun, Gideon," I smirked as I led the crew out into the hall.

"Don't leave me here! You're my mum now! You gotta protect me!" Gideon cried. I rolled my eyes.

"I am. By thinking of your future," I retorted as I turned down the hall. Val chuckled softly as we piled into the airlock, Gideon's cries fading behind the doors, the engines beginning to power down.

"Gideon must love you for this," He grinned. I snorted softly. I heard the loud thunks as the _Starquake_ docked. I breathed slowly as the airlock began to equalise with the outdoor atmosphere.

"He needs his education, whether he likes it or not. Even with a Reaper invasion coming, there is a chance we might win. He'll thank me later," I finally answered. "But right now, I just need to concentrate on this asari of ours,"

The airlock doors parted, sliding upwards.

Thessia had always been one of those planets that just shook me for how similar it was to Earth. The dock itself had massive openings up and down the massive dock with a perfect view of the city behind us. Serrice was dominated by towering skyscrapers that fanned at the bottom, reminding me of a plant and its roots. The sky was clear, vivid blue with only the faintest hints of clouds. Below the city was sweeping rivers banked by delicate trees and wild bushes. The city soared above this on massive stilts.

We strode out towards the greeting party, a small group of asari. Rosmani strutted beside me, nose raised a touch. An older asari with wrinkles marring her skin and white markings along her cheeks frowned at the Spectre, recognition lighting her eyes.

"Spectre Fa'Ano. A very good day to you," the asari greeted slowly.

"Matriarch Teilia A'Fian, good afternoon," Rosmani responded. "Lovely to see you out of the retirement home… I mean, parliament," Teilia frowned severely.

"Rosmani," I hissed. Rosmani shrugged loosely, smirking widely. "Apologies, Matriarch A'Fian. I'm afraid Rosmani is about as easy to control as the wind,"

"Indeed. It is no wonder she rose to Spectre. Even the commandos are a little… wary of her, and that is before we even mention her biotic strength. She gets the job done, certainly," Teilia responded, tone flat. "So what brings you to Serrice, human?" I pulled my shoulders back as my spine straightened.

"I am Captain Endellion Shaik, head of the Council funded RRTF. We are a specialised team seeking saboteurs within various organisations who are working for an establishment that seeks to disrupt and potentially destroy the galaxy as we know it. We have already located one within the STG and in C-Sec. We have reason to there is one within the asari's political influence sphere. We wish to speak with her to assess her," I explained. Teilia studied me slowly, hundreds of years judging my words.

"You are quite young to be leading a specialised force, are you not?" she questioned. I fought the frown trying to yank my mouth down.

"And Rosmani is young to be within the Spectres," I retorted sardonically. Rosmani laughed sharply. "Age has little to do with this, Matriarch A'Fian. We have orders from Councillor Tevos to speak with this woman. We will not leave until we have done so," The Matriarch only frowned a touch at my tone. Her eyes drifted to the crew around me.

"That would entirely depend on who you wish to speak with, Captain," Teilia answered with caution.

"Alea Shea'kal," I said. The three asari before me straightened, shifting glances between each other.

"That… that is not possible-" Teilia began.

"Oh, it's possible," Rosmani smirked. "We are making this possible," Marruns took a few steps forward, taking up my other flank. He raised a brow plate.

"Do we need to collect the other two Spectres or are we enough of a reason?" he quizzed. I kept my face blank, trying to ignore how close the smug bastard was to me. Teilia shifted her eyes between them hastily.

"N-No, that is not necessary. B-but she is a very busy woman-" Teilia tried.

"Then clear her schedule," Rosmani warned, a knife underlying her tone. The asari was stiff before me. After a time, she nodded, almost robotically.

"Very well, I shall see what I can do. Please, follow me," Teilia swept her arm to the side as she turned. The pair of asari on either side of her spun wordlessly, following. I frowned a touch as I took step behind them. My gut was hardly happy with this. Rosmani walked beside me, nose high as she grinned. I reluctantly had to accept Marruns on my other flank. Val was behind me if he tried anything.

The interior of the building was dominated by massive vaulted ceilings, large banners gently floating in the slight breeze. The wide open spaces as we traversed from room to room brought more than enough light to highlight the faints joints between the slabs of blue-tinted slabs of what I would have called granite. I wasn't sure without closer examination. Down a few more small, tall hallways and they led us into a spacious office.

It was a three tiered office, the desk at the back on the highest point with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the meandering rivers, a sitting area in the middle and just a purely decorative lower tier with plants and statues of asari and creatures and weird and wonderful shapes. Teilia indicated for us to sit on the corner sofas on the second tier. I held up a hand, scanning the room. I was not putting myself in a vulnerable position with another asari Saboteur potentially walking in on us. The old asari frowned severely but said nothing against us.

"I shall inform Matriarch Alea Shea'kal you wish to see her at her earliest convenience-" Teilia informed us. I shook my head, killing her words.

"Now. She comes and sees us now. Or else I will be dragging the Council into this," I threatened mildly. Teilia folded her hands behind her back, wrinkles deep as she frowned.

"As you wish, Captain," she retorted curtly. She abandoned us in the office, her heels clicking loudly as she departed. I counted to 15 before opening my mouth.

"Val, get everyone into a good position. If she is a Saboteur and she brings friends, I want to be in as good as a position as I can get," I ordered, shoulders shuddering.

"Aye, Aye. Iona, Searte, check out the top tier," Val issued almost immediately. I breathed slowly, relieved I had him to deal with the tactical side of things. I still needed a sit-down lesson in combat tactics.

I droned out Val's orders as I began leisurely pace along the length of the middle tier. I was glad for the Spectres' presences, if only to help speed up the process. I could only imagine what I would be doing if I was alone on this one. I sighed, turning my attention to the more immediate danger.

If she was a Saboteur. That would be three at least known to us. I had no idea how to deal with Rolidin, I would need to have a word with the salarian Councillor about that one. Saria was dead but God that had taken me out of action for a while. I didn't have a good standing record with dealing with Saboteurs. I was afraid this was going to be the same…

"Captain Shaik, I presume?" a soft voice rang. I spun, a hand floating to the Carnifex as I faced the doorway. Matriarch Alea stood before me, the dark purple toned asari held herself proudly, the barest of white marks along her brow. Faint wrinkles waved on her face as she offered a small smile. I straightened, carefully stepping between her and the crew behind me.

"Indeed. Thank you for seeing me so quickly. I understand this must be surprising," I responded. The asari sighed gently.

"It is, Captain, however I am not one to ignore the orders from Spectres on a Council approved mission," she answered calmly. Teilia stood by her side, still frowning at me. "To what did you need to see me for on such short notice?"

"I have a few questions, Matriarch Alea, if I may," I slowly stepped down from the middle tier to join the pair of asari on the lowest tier. Alea nodded gracefully. "Have you ever had any strange dreams, usually surrounding the theme of uncontrolled destruction, the inability to control your body and such like?" The Matriarch frowned a touch.

"What an odd question, Captain. I… I cannot say I have. The strangest dream I have ever countered is… well, for a Matron to be wishing for her childhood home, a place that I have not frequentded as such with such a powerful will is unnerving. To see the loving faces of my mother and father, to brush my hands through the course reeds of the hills nearby, the crisp winter breeze weaving through the mountaintops. I suppose I was wishing for a gentler time, a time before everything began to spiral to despair," Alea closed her eyes, immersing herself in the memories. I set my expression, desperate to stop the needles pricking my heart showing on my face.

"I see, not what I was looking to hear. However, it was very interesting," I cleared my throat, shaking my head to clear my mind. "Are you aware of what a Reaper is, Matriarch Alea?" I asked. Alea gently held her chin, brushing her fingers on her upper lip.

"Was… I seem to recall a human – I believe he was a Spectre, no? – crying out at some point about something called a 'Reaper'. I am afraid I cannot say beyond that," she answered, her tone curious.

"You are referring to Commander Shepard, but yes you are correct. We have evidence to suggest that sentient, hyper advanced machines are coming to wipe out all advanced life in the galaxy," I explained.

"Hyper advanced machines… My apologies, Captain, but this sounds completely absurd. To what would an AI, as I seem to believe you are referring to, obtain with such a venture?" Alea furrowed her brows. I offered a half smile, trying to watch her expressions.

"We do not know yet, Matriarch. It is something we are trying to unearth," I retorted. Alea sighed softly.

"Reaper, such a dark word to you humans, is it not? I believe it has something to do with death, I suppose if such machines were to come to us, it would a fitting name. Forgive me, I am a bit of a philosopher. The word seems to… strike something in me," she shrugged lightly. I straightened a touch. "I remember there was this large tree near to where I lived when I was a child, towering high above the surrounding forest. That was until a fungus came and stole the life from it. Goddess forgive, Reaper would certainly fit such a massacre of nature," My shoulders slumped, frowning a touch.

"It appears our childhood homes were not too dissimilar, Matriarch Alea. We had a large elm that was one of thousands killed when Dutch elm disease struck," I sighed. Alea offered a sad smile.

"A small town, no bigger than a village, surrounded by towering peaks," she reminisced.

"A valley on each side with forests lining the river banks," I added a smile.

"Spilling out into a loch to the ocean," Alea grinned.

"With only two roads ou- …Wait …loch?" I gagged. Alea tilted her head to the side.

"Is something the matter, Captain?" she questioned. I was struggling to catch my breath.

"I've… I've never heard the term loch outside of Scotland…" I struggled, trying to unclog the barrage of the thoughts running through my mind. Alea frowned slightly.

"Truly? Well, to us it is another name for a lake, such as Loch Linnhe, Loch Hourn, Loch Katrine, Loch Leven-"

"Loch… Leven," the words tumbled out of my mouth. My mind wasn't making sense of anything. I had images flash before my eyes; sunset over the loch, the rustle of leaves through the forests, the smell of rain on the grass, the laughter of my family, the heat from the barbecue. I was flooded by every emotion; joy on a boat trip, terror during sledging, anger while dancing, sadness during mourning. Everything came back to me. Everything.

By the time I realised what was happening, by the time I raised my hand with pistol armed, it was too late. The window behind us had smashed.


	29. Chapter 29

I cowered under the thin protection behind me, only being on the lowest tier of the room saved me any immediate injuries. The middle tier's floor provided a little bit of cover but with bullets skimming my shoulders I hardly felt safe. My mind was swimming as I tried to focus, tried to assess the situation. I glared up from by ball on the floor, barely watching Alea as she strolled out the room, Teilia squealing and sprinting from the area. I snorted. At least that Matriarch wasn't indoctrinated…

"Fucking Commandos! Are you fucking kidding me?!" Iona roared.

"Less cursing, more cover!" Val snapped.

I struggled to pull my helmet free, it felt like an eternity before it unfurled itself and locked into place. I cracked it over my head, securing it as best as I could without lifting my head. I made sure to turn on the oxygen supply, praying that would help ease the swimming vision. Tiny tendrils of shadow licked up the very edges of my vision. I was going to pass out at this rate. I lay there, breathing slowly, listening to war roaring above my head. The gunfire was deafening. I slowly, reluctantly poked my head up to peer to the back of the room.

I barely got a 2 second look before a bullet crashed into my helmet. I screeched, dropping back to the floor as my eyes transfixed themselves onto the spider web like cracks dancing on the helmet. A cold sweat broke out over my skin, more memories flooded my vision. Was this what it was like to see your life flash before your eyes?

"Are you alright, Captain?" Andria called. I gagged, on the brink of hyperventilating. What was wrong with me?!

"N-No!" I managed, my breath rushing out in massive gasps.

"Stay down, Dell! We'll be there is a second!" Val ordered. "Dammit, Rosmani, aren't you a biotic specialist?! Get rid of these bitches!"

"And ruin the fun?" Rosmani laughed.

"Oh please, this is Fa'Ano we're talking about. She can't lift a fucking rock with her biotics," Marruns snapped. "Better off in a bloody strip club!" I shuddered, the very air seeming to electrify.

"Oh, piss off, boy!" Rosmani thundered. I heard her power-up, felt the room shudder with her might. I heard surprised cries and the shattering of glass before the gunfire ceased. I swallowed, my throat too dry as I rolled onto my side. Seconds later, hands grabbed me, helping me onto my knees.

"Dell, you ok?" Val asked, tone laced with worry. I mutely shook my head. Why was it so hard to breathe?!

"She's…" I began breathlessly. "A Saboteur," There was no doubt about it. The commandos suddenly appearing to kill us, her calm exit while her companion screeched and ran off, her knowledge of my home. Oh God, this wasn't like Saria at all! I felt Saria trying to manipulate me, I remembered the headache well! Why was it not happening here? A new… A new method or technique? There was silence for a time while I gulped down air.

"Autillin to Delern, do you read?" Val called, hand firmly on my upper back.

_"Delern here. What's the situation?"_ I heard Mat'al respond in my ear.

"Alea Shea'kal is a Saboteur, no doubt about it. We're going to need backup. I don't know what the hell she did to Dell but she's not right, definitely not right," Val explained.

_"Roger that. We're on the way. Keep Dell safe,"_ he added firmly.

"Aye, Aye," Val muttered turning back to me. "Alright, let's bunker down here for a bit-"

"No," I grunted, mentally kicking my lungs. "Stop her. Dammit, she has to die!" I grit my teeth as I struggled onto my shaken feet. Val was supporting too much of my weight for my liking.

"Dell, we don't know what that Saboteur did to you-" Val tried to reason.

"All the more reason to obliterate her," I gasped, relieved the shadows at the edge of my vision were easing. A discontented robotic rumble in my head told me Nyryntha had been trying something. Was she relieving me now? Was that why I was able to breathe a bit better now? I shook my head. That Reaper had been to quiet recently. Far too quiet. "Rosmani, Marruns; find her. Kill her," I ordered.

"I'm not taking orders from yo-!" Marruns squeaked in horror. Rosmani grabbed his carapace and hauled him out the door. Marruns nearly screamed in rage. I shook my head out gently, my body slowly numbing from whatever the hell just happened to me.

"We have to find her, more indoctrinated servants will be on the way. C'mon people, let's move!" I took a few steps, stumbling into Val until my legs reluctantly began working.

The hallway was dead, the blue-tinted hall quiet. I didn't know what way the Spectres went in, but I decided to just follow my instincts. I began striding down to the left, aiming for the sprinkling of light at the end of the hall. Val shadowed me, keeping eyes on our 6. We reached a doorway, parting us into a large room with 3 floors open above us. All was still.

"Poor little, Endellion, so far from home," a female voice rang out, echoing mystically in the large room. I spun, grabbing the pistol at my hip. The clicking of guns beside me were more than reassuring. "You have come so far, further than any Shell I have encountered before. I am impressed, is this what admiration feels like?"

"Show yourself, Commando!" I demanded, my voice droning in the air like a lead balloon. Her light laughter taunted me.

"And you know of some of our ranks as well. I see Xanthe was careless," her voice crooned. "Even Dionysius, you have foiled his attempts to bring you to heel,"

"I don't even know who the hell Dionysius is!" I snapped. I turned to Val. "Call Rosmani and Marruns, tell them to get back here stat!" I ordered in a hushed whisper.

"I believe his Shell is named 'Rolidin', if that is of any aid to you," Alea teased. I frowned. At least I knew Rolidin's Reaper name…

"I notice you're still hiding like a coward though," I retorted. Her laughter returned.

"My apologies," was her reply. My gaze snapped skywards, attracted by movement. Every gun pointed skywards as she appeared on a balcony several floors up. "So, little Endellion, what do you hope to achieve through hunting us? Your own kin?" she softly paced beside the glass banister, staring down at me. I couldn't see her eyes too well from here.

"Firstly, you are no kin of mine! I am human, loyal to the human race and every other race that doesn't want to be wiped out by you monsters!" I snarled, although that heat was easing as I considered her words. "Secondly, we're going to kick your ass, hunting you just helps us that little bit more. Thirdly," I shuffled the gun in my hand, staring down the scope. "What's with the 'Endellion'?" Alea tilted her head to the side curiously.

"Oh? Is that not your name? …Ah, I understand. You are asking why I use your name rather than 'Shell'. I see no harm in answering. It is what we do to Shells that have proven themselves to be most resilient. You organics call it 'respect', an acknowledgement that you are above the usual cattle. There has been a consensus that you have proven to be incredibly stubborn, able to adapt despite your programming. Not many Shells have survived in control for as long as you have," Alea explained. "But you will fall. You know this. You already feel this," I tried to ignore the gazes of the crew behind me.

"I'll sooner put a bullet through my brain before succumbing to Nyryntha!" I seethed. Alea smiled, a slow smile.

"I see. A pity, you have such potential now. Before you were but a human girl, lost and in need of aid. Now? Leader of a mighty force with authority close to the Spectres, if our sources are not mistaken. Such high potential indeed," Alea purred. A cold weight fell through my body, starting from my chest.

"So you aren't going to keep trying to kill me then?" I asked haughtily. Alea smirked.

"Of course not, you are so close to stumbling into our indoctrination, just a hair keeps you from us, a lone rope securing you from the abyss. It won't be long now. Nyryntha has been working tirelessly over the last few months, it would be insulting to end you now," Alea responded. My resolve cracked, her words striking like lightning. I opened my mouth to retort, to deny her claims.

No words escaped me, however. I was silent.

You could imagine my relief when a gunshot hummed in the air, Alea stumbling back with a hole in her forehead. My shoulders sagged, collapsing under her words. My mind numbed, as if overworked. I turned skywards, watching a sniper above our heads reload. Mat'al spared us a glance. I felt the relief roll over my shoulders, sagging under its weight. Oh thank God she was-

"Incoming!" I heard someone above us call. I shuddered awake, Carnifex raised but I wasn't sure if it was straight or not.

I cried out when a biotic shield threw itself at us, crushing us into the ground or pinning us to a wall. I crawled for a raised flowerbed, using the cover as more biotic shields rolled in. I winced as the bullets ricocheted off the floor. I grit my teeth, poking my head out of safety. I could barely assess the situation, I needed the reinforcements from the upper floor to tell us what exactly was going on. I turned my gaze to the hallways behind us.

"We're sitting ducks here! Everyone, move into the hallways, we can at least get some cover back there!" I ordered, ducking at a loud ping above my head. "Cover fire!"

I backed up, eyes flying as I tried to watch my entire clock; foes before me, exit behind me, crew all around. Only when Val tapped my shoulder did I shoulder my way into the hallway. I breathed a sigh of relief once the doors shut, eyes on the crew around me. A few had some scratches and burns. The worst was a limp from a bullet to the thigh. I pressed my ear to door, trying to gauge the ongoing firefight.

"We need to move. Try and flank them if we can," I stared up the long corridor, stomach dropping. "We have to get to an area we can dive behind cover. Move up, people. Come on!" I ordered, already pushing onwards.

"We can try and flank them if we go left at the next junction, most of them were coming through from the windows!" Phentos suggested. I nodded curtly, grinding my teeth as I skidded near the junction, checking down both corridors. Once clear, we ran left.

The door behind us opened and gunfire followed our attempted flank. I snapped my gaze back, trying to determine if we escaped major injuries. No one followed at least. We reached a new junction, allowing us to fan out and aim with some cover. When the 4 commandos screamed around the corner, they were met with a hail of bullets. I was relieved when they fell, the servants completely wild without their Reaper master.

We began the last run of the flank, it would take us to the opposite end of the room we had entered in originally. Hopefully they were so disorientated they couldn't co-ordinate each other well enough, I had very, very little information on Saboteur indoctrinated servant behaviour. I decided to aim for the furthest away door, nearest the large windows. The further over we could strike them, the easier it would be to strike at their backs. The door was opposite a new corridor, windows presenting Thessia before me as I skidded by the door, hand raised to open it.

A click of guns behind me had be twirling to face down the new corridor. A small group of asari commando had begun a wild charge. I flailed, firing off a round of wild bullets. My crew were barely 5 steps away from me. Then I felt something grab my arm, like a firm hand. The ground left me as I watched one asari raise her hand and fling it to the side.

I soared through the window.

I screamed, staring down the drop before me. I tumbled through the air, the smooth flare of the building's shape rushing to greet me. I couldn't breathe, my vision tunnelled on the rising face of the metal building. I touched the side of the building, tumbling wildly down it like a steep hill. I flailed, screeching interrupted with grunts as I tried to find a hand hold, tried to ignore the way my body cried at each tumble. I found none. I began slowing down slightly as I reached the lip, but what lay beneath me? I gagged on the air, high pitched squeaks escaping incoherently. I made one last desperate attempt for something to stop me.

I flew off the edge. Falling. I managed to see blue staring up at me. I crashed, submersed in water. Only instinct got me to the surface, only survival managed to make me swim to a foundation pole nearby. My back felt like it had been run-over by a rock Indiana Jones style, my legs quivered weakly, arms tense as they held me and fingers aching. Sitting in the water, trying to breathe, I barely heard the gunfire about 20 or 30 stories above me. I slowly breathed out, finally calming. I ripped my helmet off, gulping down fresh air.

Then a fish brushed past my leg.

I squealed, immediately hurling myself out of the water as I scrambled up the ribbing on the leg. I slipped twice but always found my hold once more as everything in me told me to flee. Fish! Of anything, any bloody thing, that I had to deal with right now, fish was at the top of my nope list! I flailed for the banister above my head, once again hyperventilating as rolled over it, back onto dry land.

I shook myself out, completely soaked, as I attempted to recapture my breath for the 4th time today. At least the fourth anyway, I frowned. I was not having a good day at all, was I? I sighed slowly, finally plucking up the courage to test my legs. They quivered and my knees knocked, but at least I was standing. I pressed a finger to my ear.

"Shaik to Delern, do you read?" I summoned. I waited anxiously. "Shaik to… wait a second," I felt my ear, noticing something odd. There wasn't something hard in my ear anymore. I could only feel the translator loop in my ear canal.

Are you kidding me? It fell out? How did it fall out?! When?! Damn this whole bloody mission! I muttered as I reached the banister, looking down to the water. It was probably in there, I wasn't sure where else it was. My helmet had a radio on it. I sighed, preparing to jump back into the water to salvage the floating helmet. Although, the sudden ripples from a nearby splash froze my legs in place. Helmet or fish…

Dammit, it was no contest. I shoved myself away from the banister, stumbling back into the building. The floor was completely empty, a maze of corridors and stairs. I went up the monotone stairs at every opportunity, although I was lost in an instinct. I did hear some faint gunfire but beyond that I had no major markers to go on. I turned a corner, grumbling as I failed to see any signs for any stairs. Although those grumbles were cut short.

Alea Shea'kal sauntered towards me, a contented smile on her face.

How was she- She took a Mantis to the head! I saw the hole! I made a mad grab for my Carnifex. My hand only found air. Sweat broke out. I had been holding it when I went through the window. I had let it go… I resorted to my back-up, grabbing a bolt from one of the pouches on my hips and snapping it to my omni-tool palm. I drew the omni-string back, bow fully drawn.

"Not another step, Saboteur! How the hell are you alive anyway!?" I demanded.

Alea didn't respond, she just smiled more. I grit my teeth as my shoulder quivered. I released the holographic string, the bolt flying towards the asari. Her biotic shield easily took the brunt of it. She raised a hand, an azure aura shimmering. My left hand, my omni-tool hand, slammed against the wall. I cried against the initial pain, soon followed by grunts as I tried to free it. It was useless. I gagged as Alea reached me. I tried to punch her, but my hand just rebounded and it too bolted itself to the wall. My vision began to swim.

"Shh," she hushed, drawing a hand down my cheek. "It is alright, little Endellion. Shh," I fought my lungs, desperate for them to work.

"How," I gasped. "Are you…" Alea smiled, her finger pressing gently over my trembling lips.

"Oh my dear, you have so much to learn," she crooned. "We would be very inefficient Saboteurs if a simple head injury was able to stop us," My eyes bulged. "But my dear, you look so terrified," she brushed some hair out from my face, tucking it neatly behind my ear. "It's alright, it's alright to be scared. But you'll be coming home soon. Back where you belong, little Advocacy. We have missed you dearly. Especially Namacuix, oh how he worries. He does not wish to harm you,"

"W-Who is… N-Namacuix?" I breathed, shuddering under her voice. Alea smiled slowly.

"You are a Saboteur, my dear. You know who he is. Who is he, Advocacy? What is he?" Alea asked, her voice brushing me like a cool summer breeze. I choked on the air, the room was spinning too much.

"I-I don't," I tried.

"Yes you do, my dear. Who is Namacuix?" she pressed again. "Don't think. Feel," her finger tips dropped my trembling eyelids, shutting me into darkness. What the hell did she want with me? What was she doing to m-… what was that? I felt a… a pulse in my chest. Not my heartbeat, this pulse beat off-time, like an anti-mirror…oh that wasn't even a word! It was-! …not a pulse? A voice? I frowned, confused. Yes, it fluctuated, like someone talking. What was it saying? I couldn't-

Blood. Pain. Mad Laughter. Screams. Warmth. Security. Precaution. Fury. Passion. I tried to scream at the scenes flashing past my vision. It took hold of me, shook me violently, crushing me under its weight. The red scenes flashed for a second, a stabbing sensation through my entire bloodstream as words screamed through my mind. The final scene, the scene burned into my very soul. A pair of brilliant blue eyes.

"Who is Namacuix, Advocacy?" Alea asked once more. I swallowed hard, struggling more than I should have.

"T-The Ravager," I gasped. Alea's smug grin only burned.

"Excellent, excellent. And my name? Who am I?" she pressed eagerly, her nose brushing mine as she leaned close. "What is my name, Advocacy?"

I wanted nothing more to do with that 'pulse'. I could hear the whispers, the whispers were only getting louder the more I thought about them. The pulse was quickening, becoming words once more. The human in me, the only part of me that was pure animal, burst free for survival.

I bite her. I bite her nose. I wrenched her nose clean off as I yanked her side to side. My hands freed as her surprised screams of rage thundered. I cracked a fist into her bleeding face, fleeing down the hallway desperately as I spat the nose out. I sprinted blindly down the halls, her name desperately trying to ring in my head. I blocked it out with my screams, running wildly up and down stairs, down corridors. Nyryntha screamed in fury but even blinded, my instinct, my hearing, told me where to go.

I turned a corner, seeing a form before me. It spun around, an assault rifle raised. It reluctantly lowered. My eyes focused as my legs continued to carry me. A sandy toned turian sulked before me.

"And where the fuck have you been? Spirits, I've had to turn this bloody earpiece off from all the bloody clamour on it-Ahh! What the fuck are you doing!?" Marruns screeched. The turian squirmed, trying to free himself from my grip. My arms were locked around his chest, mind running like a rampant ape. A familiar face. Friend. Not Foe.

"Oh for fuck sake, would someone get down here?! Spirits, the bloody murderer is possessed!" Marruns called, still trying to pry my off. I clung on for dear life, for sanity, to security. "Let go dammit!" I didn't want the startling blue eyes. I didn't want to lose. I didn't want to die! Someone make this all stop! Take me away from here! From her!

"Oh thank fuck! Seriously, you barefaced bastard, this bitch is craz-OW!" Marruns cursed. I heard a snarl and every muscle tensed, sending pain rocketing through every nerve.

"Dell? Dell, it's ok, hey! Endellion! Dellion! Shaik!..." a voice summoned. "…Delly!"

My head snapped up, my eyes locked onto emerald green eyes. Backing away from those, I found scarred skin, copper skin. Then a turian. I turian I knew. A turian I trusted. Valérien.

"Spirits, what the hell happened to you? You're covered in blood! C'mon, Dell, you're alright, calm down. Let go of that asshole before you catch something," Val soothed, easing each finger free.

"I beg your pardon!?" Marruns squawked.

Val spared him a heated glare before finally freeing Marruns from my death grip. He pulled me into a hug. I squeezed my eyes shut, letting my muscles relax. I fell to my knees almost immediately, although Val caught me when he felt me slip. I pried an eye open, watching my hands – pressed together – tremble violently. A lump in my throat burst and I couldn't even stem the sobs that poured free. Val continued to sooth me with hushes and gentle jokes, mostly about Marruns. I managed to pick my head up to gaze at him, hands on my cheeks as I struggled to hide myself.

"I wanna go home," I wept. "I just wanna go home," I squeezed my eyes shut again when the sound of pounding feet began echoing down the halls.


	30. Chapter 30

_The Fact Sheet, Timeline and Saboteur Sheet have been updated for this chapter. Please see profile for the link._

* * *

"That is the situation as it stands, Councillors. I suggest putting all Spectres on alert should they run into her in the future," I explained, trying to keep my tone alive. The four holograms before me were silent statues, anxiety rustling through them like wind through a wheat field. Tevos in particular was a little on the twitchy side.

"I have known Alea for hundreds of years-" Tevos began, her expression wrought and distressed.

"Just as Commander Delern knew Rolidin for a good decade. And that is in salarian years, Councillor. Alea is a Saboteur, she was working particularly hard to help my own Reaper gain control of me," I sighed, almost regretting cutting the woman off, she folded her hands together. "I do not know how long the Saboteurs have been in circulation. We have asari who have been in place for hundreds of years, humans who have only been here a year. I don't have the answers, Councillors. I'm not sure I ever will,"

"We will try to locate Alea Shea'kal, Captain. Any whispers and we will send what reports we have," Valern responded, giving the asari councillor a hard look. Tevos returned a look, although it was difficult to know if she was angry or hurt. "We await your next report," I saluted, waiting for the holograms to vanish before every muscle slumped. I slunk back up to the stairs to my sofa, dropping face first onto it.

I couldn't escape the images from Thessia. The shadows in my vision, the robotic tones grinding in my mind, those blue eyes staring at me with such hunger… I drew a hand down my face. My mind was completely crumpled, like it had been thrown into a whirlpool. I was struggling to even think normal, coherent sentences. I probably should have waited a few days before giving my report but… but dammit, I had to get a move on. Alea was right about one thing, I didn't have long left now.

Which brought me nicely onto my new problem. My eyes. More specifically, it seems I had been so close to losing my ongoing war with Nyryntha, my eyes were glowing electronic blue. Scans verified that the circuitry in my irises was alight. It had died now, but I suspected it would rear its ugly head eventually. I had no idea what it meant, my assumption was just that; a guess.

Oh stop thinking about it, Dell! I shook my head out gently, burrowing my face into the cushion. Come on. Alea. Think about Alea! Where would she go? She vanished from Thessia, no one had been able to track her down after I had been reunited with the team. At least that was what we assumed. She may still well be on Thessia but I wasn't in any sane state to start chasing after her.

I really didn't know what to do…

"Captain Shaik?" a voice summoned. I lifted my head, dreary and tired. I spied the brown horns of a salarian poking above the upper tier's floor. I flopped my head down again.

"Yes, Spectre?" I asked, not bothering to lift myself. I heard an amused chuckle from the salarian as he mounted. Sitoln grinned at me as he crouched before me.

"My apologies for interrupting your rest, Captain, but I have received some interesting news that may interest you," Sitoln informed. I grunted.

"Send it to my omni-tool. I'll read it when I can," I answered. Sitoln blinked slowly as he studied me. He sighed softly.

"I suppose this is as good a time as any, Shaik," he began. I raised an eyelid, annoyed. "To thank you,"

"Thank me? For what?" I furrowed my brows.

"Sparing the life of myself and my crew, of course," Sitoln responded. I blinked blearily. He smiled slightly. "Ah, it was some time ago. While you were fleeing from the Council, you did battle with my ship. You completely destroyed our engines and power. Instead of finishing the job, you dropped an SOS and left. You saved 35 people that day. I doubt any of us would still be here had you not put that down. I dread to think what would happen had pirates happened upon us,"

"You're that salarian Spectre?" I blinked, my mind finally kicking itself into a normal gear. Sitoln grinned.

"Indeed I am. Surprised?" he asked, tone amused. I scowled.

"Thanks for wrecking my ship, that bloody hole was the bane of my engineers' lives," I answered sourly. Sitoln coughed, taken aback. "And for ruining my day. I had just been out the med bay 5 minutes before you showed up,"

"I uh…" he writhed.

"And for making my crew question me, injuring my crew, terrifying the shit out of me… oh and let me guess, you had something to do with my bounty, yes?" I continued, grumbling even louder with each word. Sitoln shuffled awkwardly.

"I spoke with the Council, yes," he answered slowly. "I convinced them you weren't a heartless killer, a machine, and they decided to take to risk that capturing you alive was far more valuable than a corpse…"

"So yeah, thanks for throwing us on the radar of every single mercenary in the galaxy as well. It was wonderful. Nearly killed my crew from exhaustion," I finished dryly. Sitoln was quiet, expression empty.

I… see. My apologies, although you were on the run from the Council, we were just doing our job," Sitoln responded, deadpan. I snorted.

"As was I," I retorted. I sighed as I shoved myself into a sitting position. "Are you quite finished?" I grumbled. Sitoln exhaled heavily, pushing himself up on his feet before dropping down beside me, leaning his arms on his thighs.

"I know that the situation as it stands is not ideal, and I apologise, I appear to be doing that a lot today. When I had heard that the Council was pulling some Spectres together to ensure that you behaved-," Sitoln began softly, interrupted by my sharp laugh. "I volunteered. Firstly, to repay the debt I had incurred by you sparing the life of myself and my crew and secondly to help deal with these machines. We've all read Shepard's reports. I wasn't going to stand back and wait for them to come. But there is a bright side to all of this,"

"Like?" I grumbled, desperate for him to leave.

"What the Council have not told you, of course," Sitoln smirked. I frowned a touch, drawing my eyebrows together. "The Spectres here are not only to ensure you have a key to wherever you need to go, as well as eyes to ensure you are doing what you agreed upon. We're only here temporarily. Prove your worth to the Council and you won't need to have a single Spectre on your ship, unless you wish to, of course…"

"So what you are basically saying is that they are testing me… Why tell me?" I asked cautiously.

"I believe firmly in a strong sense of trust between Captain and their crew. I had it with mine and under intense fire, it is comforting if nothing else. I understand I am very new to your crew, as is a large number of people. I hope that one day you will be able to trust me as you do your older allies," Sitoln shrugged. "Besides, humans fascinate me. You're species is simply so stubborn it's incredible you made it into space at all instead of continually banging rocks together while expecting different results,"

"Oh please!" I snorted. "If we wanted to go to space, you bet your damn ass we'll do it, one way or another. And banging rocks did help," I smirked. "We learned different rocks can be used to make fire, after all," Sitoln snorted softly, a smile on his face.

"I suppose you did… well, we are grateful for your species now. Despite what the galaxy thinks, we need more species who are not afraid to delve where no one dares," Sitoln chuckled.

"I suppose that was activating the unknown mass relays, huh?" I grinned. "Hey, we're just too curious for our own good," Sitoln shared my grin.

"Absolutely. But that doesn't give you an excuse to not ask for help," he scolded lightly. "After all, the galaxy would be awfully quieter without you," he twirled a stray stand of my hair around one of his long fingers. I raised a brow.

"Without humans or me specifically?" I asked, gently brushing my hand behind my ear, freeing my captured strand.

"Both," he murmured. "You are an incredible creature, Shaik. I don't think you fully appreciate it,"

"Flattery doesn't get you anywhere with me, sweetheart," I retorted dryly. Sitoln leaned over a touch, enough to make me bend away slightly. I eyed him warily.

"Not even a little?" he asked, tone low and eyes tracing my lips. My muscles twitched as a tremor shook my body from the shoulders down.

I squeaked when a spanner crashed into his head.

Sitoln recoiled, cursing in salarian as he shambled to his feet. Releasing my frozen breath, I turned to the door, the direction of the thrown spanner. God bless him, Gideon stood on the lower tier of my room with a second spanner raised in his hand and oil smeared on his cheek. The look in his eyes could cut diamond. I was amazed his jaw wasn't breaking from how hard he hand it clenched. I breathed slowly, deeply, trying desperately to remove the scent of musky vegetation from my lungs. I didn't know what the salarian ate, but good God!

"Out," Gideon hissed. Sitoln eyed the boy, expression blank yet frosty. Green blood trickled out from his temple.

"I believe I can go where I wish, boy," Sitoln said chillily. Gideon's eyebrows knotted even tighter.

"No you can't. I don't know what the hell you were doing to my mum but you can fuck off anyway!" he snapped.

"Gideon, language," I coughed, clearing my throat. My usual heat had been quenched. "Spectre, you are dismissed. I'll read your news later,"

"But Shaik-" Silton tried. I managed a firm look.

"Dismissed, Spectre," I repeated slowly. Sitoln breathed deeply for a time, settling his frustrations, I hoped. Eventually he saluted, but his lips were pressed into a thin line. His gait was sharp as he marched towards the door, Gideon shuffled out the way, but he followed him, spanner still raised. "Oh and for future reference," Sitoln paused, gazing at me over his shoulder. "Keep your hands to yourself. You are definitely not in the touching zone yet," His frown only deepened.

"I understand," was his curt reply. He strutted out the door a heartbeat later. Gideon walked up the stairs backwards, eyes fixated on the door. After a moment, he lowered the spanner. He nearly sprinted to my side.

"Are you ok? Did he hurt you?" he cried, the tiny warrior fracturing into a panicked boy. I wrapped my arms around him, yanking him onto my lap. He barely yelped.

"I'm alright, Gideon. Thank you," I managed, voice on the verge of breaking. I sulked in two deep breaths as I was slowly calming. I was a train wreck of emotions today!

"I can get Diri to kick his ass for you if you want," he offered. I laughed weakly.

"I think I can get her to do that myself, little man. Now, what are you doing up here?" I asked. Gideon frowned, a determination lighting his eyes.

"Lani said you were alone with a Spectre, he just wanted to make sure he wasn't doing anything funny," Gideon said honestly. A small smile broke free.

"Thank you, Lanster, much appreciated," I called. I heard a chuckle over the intercom.

_"Not a problem. Indira did tell me quite firmly to make sure you were rested before getting you annoyed. Thought I'd send the pygmy maw up. Nice throw, by the way,"_ Lanster laughed. Gideon puffed out his chest, breaking free from my grip.

"Well, only the best could have done it," he purred smugly. I grinned cheekily.

"Indeed, not bad for a pygmy maw," I joked. Gideon frowned.

"I don't even know what 'pygmy' means, everyone keeps calling me it though," he grumbled. My expression slowly lit up.

"It means a very small creature. Like a pygmy varren would be a tiny varren compared to normal varren," I explained. Gideon stared at me, jaw slack and eyes popping free from his skull. He looked horrified, bless him! "See, this is why you need your education, to tell when people are making fun of you,"

"Everyone's been making fun of me?! I'm not small, dammit!" he wailed. I hugged him again, gently brushing his hair as he grumbled.

"Well, you are a little bit," I retorted. Gideon frowned up at me, almost pouting. Then the little bastard decided to tackle me! I squealed as I nearly flew off the sofa, only realising after about 3 seconds that he was trying to tickle me into submission! Bastard! "Help! I'm being attacked by the pygmy maw!"

"I'm not a pygmy!" he thundered.

I was just a helpless heap after that. I could barely bat the boy away, I was too busy trying not to asphyxiate from laughter. It only infuriated Gideon and thus the vicious circle continued of more tickling and laughter continued. I eventually did fall off the sofa, although it would take more than that to stop Gideon. Bless his little heart. I was only spared from his frantic scrambles to try and find a ticklish spot when his stamina finally ran out. Poor thing was left panting, sprawled over me on the floor. I was gasping, small bursts of laughter managing to surface. I weakly ruffled his hair.

"I've missed you buddy," I panted. Gideon managed to lift his head to give me a cheeky grin.

"Yeah, I know. It's really boring without me," he smirked. I scowled softly.

"A cocky little bandit is what you are," I joked affectionately. Gideon grinned widely as he flopped back down on top of me.

"I've missed being home," he murmured. "I didn't like it with the other crazy woman. She was off her nutter," I gagged on the laughter.

"She certainly was," I reminisced.

"Mum?" Gideon pushed himself up, finally allowing me to breathe properly. "Can I ask something?" I grinned.

"You just did," I chimed. Gideon opened his mouth before he pouted and stuck his tongue out.

"Ha, ha, you're such a comedian," he snorted. "Well, while were thinking about home and stuff… what was Alea trying to do? I was listening to the radio stuff… something about home?" he blinked. I rubbed my eye slowly as I heaved myself onto my side, finally sitting up.

"I dunno, Gideon. She was making me remember what my home was like. Maybe she was trying to remind me that all those happy memories I have are long, long gone and the place is long dead. Some weird way to break me or something," I shrugged. "Some people can't handle the thought of their home being destroyed,"

"But… this is your home right? Does it really matter that much?" Gideon chewed his lip, perplexed I would have thought.

"Earth will always be my home; that was where I was born, where I grew up. Sure, it's not the same now and there is nothing really left there for me other than nostalgia but… I don't know, it's hard to describe. I mean, try to image losing your first home," I babbled. Gideon screwed up his face even more.

"Can't remember that far back, I've always been on the move," he muttered. I gaped at him. Gideon just shrugged, eyes wandering the room anxiously. "That was just how I lived, jump ship to ship, station to station. Y'know, survival. The _Starquake_, uh, the last _Starquake_, was the longest I had ever been anywhere ever,"

"You've never settled? What about your family?" I inquired. Gideon shrugged again.

"Never knew 'em. I ran with some other people but we kept getting separated and… well… stuff happened and here I am now. It's… kinda nice to have a base to go to," he alluded.

"I see… well, I'm glad we're beginning to get some root growth on you then," I grinned weakly. "But just try to imagine if you lost the _Starquake_, lost all of us. That maybe what Alea was trying to do,"

Gideon sat up a little straighter, frowning a smidge. He was hushed, pondering the words I had given him. I crossed my legs, the whole point of the conversation lost to me. I was still trying to imagine Gideon's life before now. Moving from ship to ship, always moving, never settling in somewhere and losing what would have been your family… God, where had this kid come from? Had his parents abandoned him? Lost him? God forbid, sold him? I desperately wanted answers, but the way he shuffled when he spoke about it spoke mountains. It wasn't something he was happy with.

"Maybe something's there?" Gideon answered suddenly. I jumped.

"Pardon?" I said.

"Maybe there's something at you old home? Why else would the Reapers try to remind you of it? Maybe there are answers as to what happened to you, maybe some kind of machine or something? I dunno, it seems too random to suddenly start talking about it," Gideon rocked on his legs, almost brooding. My mind switched tracks, following his line of thinking. "Maybe they want to send you there because… well, they want you under their control right? So maybe they have a trap there? Like maybe another Saboteur or a Reaper or-" Gideon raved.

"A cryptograph…" I mumbled. Gideon paused, blinking with wide eyes.

"A what?" he blinked.

"Shh, shh. Mama's thinking," I held up a finger, eyes already lost to the room.

It made so much sense… so much sense! Why had it taken an 11 year old to come to this conclusion? I am so close to falling to indoctrination, so close to the Reaper's hands that they wanted it over, they were getting too desperate and couldn't afford to wait much longer. The Reapers were on course to be here within the next few years at least and with the Vanguard gone they would need their Advocacy… whatever the hell the Advocacy did anyway. They wanted to help speed up the process. I didn't know what a cryptograph looked like, I had fled from Virmire well before I had the opportunity to give Nyryntha a chance to own me.

And Gideon could be close to the mark as well. Another Saboteur could be waiting for me there, waiting for the poor, out of control Advocacy to return home, to weep over the loss of her previous life. Even if there was nothing else there, the chance of discovering another Saboteur was too good to miss. We needed to find as many of those bastards as we could… I might even be able to kill another Saboteur before…

Oh, this had trap written all over it. But God give me strength, it was too good to miss.

"Lanster," I summoned. I glanced to Gideon, the boy still frowning and confused.

_Yes, Captain?"_ he asked, clearly distracted by something else. I glanced up to a camera, making damn sure he saw the determination setting my jaw.

"Set a course for Earth. I'm going home,"


	31. Chapter 31

"Glasgow Control, this is the RSS-2 _Starquake_, requesting permission to land," Lani said with an irritated tone. I stood by one of the windows near Mari on the left side of the cockpit, Dell- Mum – dammit I had to remember that – paced slowly by Lani shoulder as we passed over a place called Carlisle. I think mum was getting more than ready to jump off the ship, she was jumpy and she kept licking her lips for some reason.

_"RSS-2 _Starquake_, this is Glasgow Control. We uh, don't normally have frigates docking here, we're mostly domestic traffic. I would recommend either Edinburgh or Prestwick,"_ the controller responded, his accent as broad as the Cairngorms Mountains, as mum liked to say.

"Prestwick? Ha!" mum snickered. "Gate to Gate from Pestwick to Dublin, 8 minutes," she grinned. "Quickest damn flight I know of," Lani sighed irritably, ignoring her completely.

"This is why I hate docking in non-international docks! 'Oh, you can't dock here, oh but we can send you back to the international port or this port in the middle of nowhere'. Seriously, we should have stayed in London and taken the shuttles up!" Lani snapped. Mum raised an eyebrow, a coldness settling on her shoulders.

"This ship does not dock in Heathrow or any other London spaceport. Do I make myself clear? Jesus, I dread to think what state London is in now. The _Starquake_ will probably have its engines nicked in a heartbeat," she rumbled.

"So what do we do? Do we even have charts for these damn places?" Lani flailed.

"Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland, so yeah, I would expect you to at least have a chart of that one," mum grumbled. "Oh give it here!" she leaned over Lani's chair to the radio. "Glasgow Control, this is the captain of the RSS-2 _Starquake_. My apologies, but we are on a Spectre mission, are you able to take frigates at all?" she asked.

_"Och, awright 'er, hen!"_ the controller cheered, recognising her accent. She grinned slightly, a shadow lifting from her face a little. _"Aye, we kin tak' 'er. Spectre run, eh? Ach, cannae be guid,"_ Lani gawked at mum. I blinked slowly, trying desperately to understand what the heck the controller just said. Mum just rolled my eyes.

"He said yes, they can take the ship," She translated. Lani just wagged his mandibles, jaw dropped. I looked out the window again, spotting a city creeping up on the horizon "Cheers, big man. Appreciate it,"

_"Ach, nae bother, hen. Juist need tae check yer Spectre 'n a' that. Sendin' docking vectors noo,"_ he responded. Mum straightened, holding her hands out.

"Now was that difficult?" She asked mockingly. Lani looked around the flight deck for a moment.

"Did anyone understand him? Anyone?!" He begged.

"Sounded Irish to me," Connor shrugged. Mum gaped in horror at him. I sniggered softly as mum whipped around to point a finger at me.

"Don't you agree with him, Gideon!" she snapped. I smirked back.

"He kinda did," I answered playfully. Mum sucked in a shallow breath as she wagged her finger.

"You'll be getting a smacked bottom at this rate," she threatened. I smiled innocently, an annoyed sound bursting through mum's lips. "Alright people, let's dock and get the shuttles up to Kinlochleven ASAP. I… I want this over and done with," Mum hesitated, spotting the city on the horizon. "The less time I have to deal with Kinlochleven, the better.

"Roger that. You chose the team?" Lani asked. Mum chewed her lip slightly.

"Aye. Mari, I'd like you the pilot the shuttle, Lanster can babysit the _Starquake_," mum ordered. Mari blinked in surprise.

"O- Of course, Captain but… isn't Bralem, Una and Lesley the usual shuttle pilots?" Mari asked, quivering slightly.

"I want to keep this mission… personal. I don't know what kind of state I'll be in. I don't doubt their abilities I'd just rather have… more familiar faces," Mum shrugged. "Just in case I break down,"

"Dell, no one is going to judge you," Lani pressed. I tore my gaze away from the incoming city, watching mum bounce on her toes a little, chewing her lip viciously. "We were briefed last night, we know that this is going to hit you hard,"

"Wait, there was a briefing last night? When? I wasn't informed," Mum swung her gaze around the cockpit.

"XO Raisha thought you might get distressed. After Thessia, everyone is a little wary in case your Reaper suddenly decides to take control. She thought it best to fill us in," Connor answered.

"And what was said?" Mum forced slowly, her tone drifting higher a touch.

"Just that this was very personal to you and to follow the commanders if anything should happen, to give you space and stuff," I said. Mum was silent, breathing deeply.

"I'll speak with Raisha later," she vowed. "Alright, let's get the team assembled," She turned from the cockpit, marching with a dulled step towards the CR. I trotted on her heels, frowning at her downcast eyes. She stopped by the intercom, shaking her shoulders free from whatever tension held them bunched to her neck.

"Attentional all crew. Crew assignment time. We are docking in Glasgow within the next few minutes, so I need Shual, Andria, Saldan, Jarlan, Henry, Phylla, Anthon, Mari, Spectre Bargatus and Commanders Autillin, Delern and Thermi'a to suit up. We move as soon as we have cleared our Spectres with the controllers. Suit up people and report to the cargo hold. We're taking the 20-seater shuttle. Dismissed," mum spoke into the speaker. I bounced by her side.

"Can I come?" I asked. Mum frowned down at me.

"Absolutely not," she scoffed. "If there is a trap waiting for me there, I want you as far away from it as I can," She strolled towards the elevator.

"Aw, c'mon, please! I never get to go anywhere! I just wanna go out of the ship for a while!" I pleaded. Mum sighed as she hit the button for the top deck.

"No," she retorted sternly.

"Please! I wanna see where you grew up! I'll be so careful! I'll stay close to everyone! I swear!" I bounded around her, almost on the brink of whining. Mum rubbed her eyes as circled her for the entire time in the elevator. She started walking up the hall to her room.

"Gideon-" she began once more, finally finding her voice. I tilted my eyebrows up, trying to harness my puppy dog eyes.

"Please?" I whimpered. Mum sighed slowly, struggling to keep eye contact with me. Finally her eyes diverted and her shoulders sagged. I immediately perked, bouncing slightly. I knew I had won.

"Fine, but you stay next to Mat'al and you do not leave his side, do I make myself clear?" she waved her finger at me. My triumph died a little as she stepped around me.

"Sassy!? B-But why Sassy?" I begged, chasing after her. I eyed up Sassy's door as I passed it, wondering if he was in there already… a shudder ripped through me, powerful enough to make me pause mid-step. "Can't Cops look after me?"

"No, Cops can't look after you," a flanged voice snorted. I twirled around as Cops emerged from his room wearing his dark purple armour decorated in green stripes. I flopped forward, staring up at the massive alien. "Cops is busy babysitting everyone else," he smirked a touch. I flicked his head slightly to Dell. "See you down there, Dell,"

"Thanks Val, I appreciate it," mum smiled a touch before she walked into her room.

"But-" I tried.

"But nothing. Now if you really want to come, go put your armour on, you are not going out there in the middle of November dressed like that! You'll freeze!" Mum scowled. "And if there is a trap, at least you'll have some protection," I whined slightly, looking back to see Val already disappearing into the elevator. After a war between going to see where mum grew up and staying with Sassy, I sighed and let my upper body sag.

"Yes, mum," I conceded. Mum nodded before the door closed. I sulked as I slunk down the hall to my room. It was the third on the right if you were leaving mum's room.

I didn't really spend an awful lot of time in here, I admitted when the door opened. Nothing had shifted from where it had been when I first got this room. I came in here so little that dust hadn't even had a chance to form to coat the entire place. I only every used the bathroom and that was only because mum took forever in the mornings. The bed was still not made, the sheets, duvet and pillow cases folded nearly on top, ready to be put on. I didn't sleep alone. I had too many experiences to tell me that was a stupid idea. The desk had nothing on it other than the small computer and the sofa didn't even a crease on it.

The wardrobe between my desk and bathroom was pretty sparse. I had my uniforms for the ship, a few other clothes for shore leave, whenever we got that, and my armour. I yanked the dark purple thing out, hurriedly. It was a child version of the Kassa Fabrication armour, with the circles in the middle of the torso a lighter purple colour, like mum's armour. I had a few purple stripes too, like on the thighs and on the back. I wasn't the biggest fan of purple, but no one else complained and it was mum's choice so...there was nothing really I could do about it, I grumbled.

When I got it everything on, I dug out a box at the bottom of the wardrobe. Inside lay a sorry looking pistol and an old Swiss army knife I had picked up along the way while jumping from ship to ship. I tucked the knife away in one of my pockets on my belt and snapped the pistol to my hip. Compared to mum's new guns, which just came in a few days ago I think, my pistol was just old and pathetic. It had saved me too many times though to just throw it away though. I think that was me… I nodded firmly before charging out the door.

I got about 2 steps down the hall before I got yanked back though. I flailed to keep my balance, grabbing onto whatever had snagged me. I glanced up, a shudder trembling down my back.

"H-Hi Sassy," I greeted with a nervous smile. The salarian flicked a half smile before lifting me off the ground and planting me in a more steady position. I flushed slightly.

"Good morning, Gideon," Sassy greeted, walking down the hall. I reluctantly shadowed him. "So, Dell has informed me that I am to watch you for this mission," I shuffled uncomfortably.

"Y-Yeah, Cops is too busy with everyone else," I muttered as the elevator doors closed behind us. Sassy glanced at a camera in the corner of the elevator before bringing out his omni-tool, the light went out on the camera. I gawked at him. What was he doing?

"Gideon, listen and listen well, boy. I am not known to repeat things kindly," Sassy began, crossing his arms. I shuffled back a little, facing him with a heavy weight settling in my chest. "Your mother is under a great deal of stress and anxiety right now-"

"I know that, I'm not blind," I muttered sourly. Sassy raised a brow, silencing me while my blood froze.

"I am well aware that you have eyes, Gideon," Sassy retorted coldly. "But this is your first mission and I will not allow you to put your mother, or anyone else, in danger because of your folly or arrogance. You will see a side to your mother that you have never seen before – and with any luck, will never see again,"

"I've seen Dell cry before," I grumbled disheartened.

"But you haven't seen your mother neck deep in grief," Sassy answered lightly. I frowned, shuffling as I eyed the numbers counting down. Sassy slipped a hand inside one of his pouches at his hip. He dragged out an omni-tool ring. He held it out to me.

"…I've already got an omni-tool," I told him slowly. Sassy smirk was slow.

"You'll want this one. Don't let your mother find it though," he answered. I opened my mouth, suffocating on my words. After a moment I took the omni-tool, wordlessly snapping it on my wrist. My older one went into one of my pouches.

I jumped when the doors opened on the cargo hold. The ground crew was waiting for us by the large light grey, black and purple shuttle on the left side of the ship. They were checking their weapons as we approached them.

"Took your time, Delern," Cops noted. Sassy shrugged.

"Elevator malfunctioned, decided it wanted to slow down," Sassy answered coolly as he strode over the weapons bench. Mum was fiddling with her new Locust, her new pistol at her hip.

"Grab your gear and let's move," Mum hopped into the shuttle, sitting down at a far-side window. Cops was a step behind and Diri was herding everyone else in. I hopped up and sat opposite mum. Sassy was the last one in. "Alright Mari, we're ready. Raisha is handling the whole Spectre business with Rosmani and Sitoln so we shouldn't need to worry too much about that," she babbled.

"Aye, aye, Captain. Co-ordinates set for Kinlochleven," Mari relayed. The engines hummed loudly before the crane lifted us to the cargo door. After a few seconds, Mari steered us out and clear of the _Starquake_.

"You had much practice with the Paladin yet?" Cops asked. Mum flicked a smile.

"Some. It's… well, it isn't too different from the Carnifex. I'll get used to… it," her words died as the city appeared on the right side of the shuttle.

I stared, bugged eyed, at the city below me. A river lazily cut through the city, towering skyscrapers surrounding smaller, old stone buildings that looked hundreds of years old. A huge road with lights directing the shuttles above wiggled through the city, the grey ribbon was cracked with age with plants growing on it, but the towering beacons above them were new and shiny. It looked… well, it looked like the city was having a hard time letting go of some of its past. The most packed part of the city was completely stone and brick buildings, all the modern ones were skirting the edges of it.

I heard mum choke a little. I snapped away from the window, finding her just as hypnotised at the scene as I was. But judging from how contorted her face was, it wasn't wonder that held her. Cops dropped a hand and squeezed her knee firmly, looking at the same scenes as she. Mum lifted a finger, pointing at something.

"T-That's my old university. I spent four years of my life cursing that blasted place. Oh Christ, Hogwarts hasn't changed a bit. A-And that's where I stayed in halls, although…although those flats are long gone now. Oh Jesus, is that bar still open? How hell is that rip-off piece of shit still open?" Mum bit her thumb, struggling to hold back the tears. "God, everything is… I-I barely recognise anything. Apart from my uni, Kelvingrove Museum, parts of the city centre. I didn't think Glasgow could get such a facelift,"

"You alright?" Cops asked softly. Mum swallowed hard.

"Y-yeah. I-it's like meeting a friend you haven't spoken to in years… only they've had massive plastic surgery," Mum managed a weak smile. Cops smirked, his expression lighting up a little.

"Don't forget the sex change!" Diri added. Dell spurted out a laugh, surprised. She turned back to the city.

"Absolutely, you can't forget the sex change," she offered a smile. I blinked, slowly. I couldn't really think about what to say… I didn't want to hurt her…

The chatter was quiet apart from the odd titbit from mum about somewhere the recognised. We were beginning to hit the really high mountains now, with huge lakes everywhere. I rested my forehead against the window, watching the clouds billow. It hadn't been a nice day, it had been raining reasonably heavily in Glasgow but it was just getting worse. And the wind would buffer against us all the time too. Mum didn't seem all that bothered, as if she had expected this. During the trip, the shuttle was filled with a rapid tapping sound that had been slowly getting louder and faster with each passing moment. It was coming from mum, tapping her foot. Finally, just 5 minutes from landing, mum whipped around to Mari in the cockpit.

"Mari, drop us off on Garbh Bheinn for a few minutes," she said. Mari's blank expression spoke volumes. Mum sighed, agitated. "I'll point it out, it's a Munro mountain," she pulled herself out of the chair, diving into the cockpit. The shuttle was almost dead as we listened in. "Not that mountain there, that's Aonach Eagach Ridge. We want the mountain just behind that… no, that one… well technically it is that one. That's the actual peak but in this weather I just want to go to that lower peak there, just to the northeast a bit,"

I frowned as people starting yanking on their helmets.

A few moments later, we touch town on the rubbly hillside. Mum nearly threw the door open as she jumped out. Cops and Diri were immediately behind her as the rest of the shuttle emptied. I hopped out when I could but being at the furthest side from the opening slowed me substantially. I wobbled as I traversed the loose rocks that littered this relatively flat part of the mountain as I tried to catch up to mum. Mum hadn't even bothered to pull her helmet on, her red hair whipping in the gusts. By the time I got to her, mum was on her knees.

"Take your time," Cops murmured softly, a hands on mum's shoulders, squeezing firmly. "We're all here for you," I shuffled up beside her, quivering at the thought of what I would see.

Mum was very, very pale now. The tips of her fingers were pressed so tightly on her lips I was amazed she hadn't dislocated her jaw. Her eyes were wide, fixated on the scene before her. Tears threatened to spill free in the howling wind and battering rain. This was… I hadn't seen Dell like this. She had always seemed so strong to me and to see her break so… I turned to the scene before me, determined to find a reason for her tears, to make someone pay!

But I didn't know if there was anyone to blame. The small town that lay before was long abandoned, trees has overwhelmed the entire valley. The most dominating feature was a massive landslip, a huge scar on the hillside in the distance that still hadn't recovered. It had completely consumed the northern part of the town, sparing only the far eastern side. Everything in the northern part of the river was obliterated. The southern half had been warped and cracked by trees and time.

There wasn't very much left. I dreaded to think how long it would take to get through those trees…


	32. Chapter 32

"Glasgow Control, this is the RSS-2 _Starquake_, requesting permission to land," Lani said with an irritated tone. I stood by one of the windows near Mari on the left side of the cockpit, Dell- Mum – dammit I had to remember that – paced slowly by Lani shoulder as we passed over a place called Carlisle. I think mum was getting more than ready to jump off the ship, she was jumpy and she kept licking her lips for some reason.

_"RSS-2 _Starquake_, this is Glasgow Control. We uh, don't normally have frigates docking here, we're mostly domestic traffic. I would recommend either Edinburgh or Prestwick,"_ the controller responded, his accent as broad as the Cairngorms Mountains, as mum liked to say.

"Prestwick? Ha!" mum snickered. "Gate to Gate from Pestwick to Dublin, 8 minutes," she grinned. "Quickest damn flight I know of," Lani sighed irritably, ignoring her completely.

"This is why I hate docking in non-international docks! 'Oh, you can't dock here, oh but we can send you back to the international port or this port in the middle of nowhere'. Seriously, we should have stayed in London and taken the shuttles up!" Lani snapped. Mum raised an eyebrow, a coldness settling on her shoulders.

"This ship does not dock in Heathrow or any other London spaceport. Do I make myself clear? Jesus, I dread to think what state London is in now. The _Starquake_ will probably have its engines nicked in a heartbeat," she rumbled.

"So what do we do? Do we even have charts for these damn places?" Lani flailed.

"Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland, so yeah, I would expect you to at least have a chart of that one," mum grumbled. "Oh give it here!" she leaned over Lani's chair to the radio. "Glasgow Control, this is the captain of the RSS-2 _Starquake_. My apologies, but we are on a Spectre mission, are you able to take frigates at all?" she asked.

_"Och, awright 'er, hen!"_ the controller cheered, recognising her accent. She grinned slightly, a shadow lifting from her face a little. _"Aye, we kin tak' 'er. Spectre run, eh? Ach, cannae be guid,"_ Lani gawked at mum. I blinked slowly, trying desperately to understand what the heck the controller just said. Mum just rolled my eyes.

"He said yes, they can take the ship," She translated. Lani just wagged his mandibles, jaw dropped. I looked out the window again, spotting a city creeping up on the horizon "Cheers, big man. Appreciate it,"

_"Ach, nae bother, hen. Juist need tae check yer Spectre 'n a' that. Sendin' docking vectors noo,"_ he responded. Mum straightened, holding her hands out.

"Now was that difficult?" She asked mockingly. Lani looked around the flight deck for a moment.

"Did anyone understand him? Anyone?!" He begged.

"Sounded Irish to me," Connor shrugged. Mum gaped in horror at him. I sniggered softly as mum whipped around to point a finger at me.

"Don't you agree with him, Gideon!" she snapped. I smirked back.

"He kinda did," I answered playfully. Mum sucked in a shallow breath as she wagged her finger.

"You'll be getting a smacked bottom at this rate," she threatened. I smiled innocently, an annoyed sound bursting through mum's lips. "Alright people, let's dock and get the shuttles up to Kinlochleven ASAP. I… I want this over and done with," Mum hesitated, spotting the city on the horizon. "The less time I have to deal with Kinlochleven, the better.

"Roger that. You chose the team?" Lani asked. Mum chewed her lip slightly.

"Aye. Mari, I'd like you the pilot the shuttle, Lanster can babysit the _Starquake_," mum ordered. Mari blinked in surprise.

"O- Of course, Captain but… isn't Bralem, Una and Lesley the usual shuttle pilots?" Mari asked, quivering slightly.

"I want to keep this mission… personal. I don't know what kind of state I'll be in. I don't doubt their abilities I'd just rather have… more familiar faces," Mum shrugged. "Just in case I break down,"

"Dell, no one is going to judge you," Lani pressed. I tore my gaze away from the incoming city, watching mum bounce on her toes a little, chewing her lip viciously. "We were briefed last night, we know that this is going to hit you hard,"

"Wait, there was a briefing last night? When? I wasn't informed," Mum swung her gaze around the cockpit.

"XO Raisha thought you might get distressed. After Thessia, everyone is a little wary in case your Reaper suddenly decides to take control. She thought it best to fill us in," Connor answered.

"And what was said?" Mum forced slowly, her tone drifting higher a touch.

"Just that this was very personal to you and to follow the commanders if anything should happen, to give you space and stuff," I said. Mum was silent, breathing deeply.

"I'll speak with Raisha later," she vowed. "Alright, let's get the team assembled," She turned from the cockpit, marching with a dulled step towards the CR. I trotted on her heels, frowning at her downcast eyes. She stopped by the intercom, shaking her shoulders free from whatever tension held them bunched to her neck.

"Attentional all crew. Crew assignment time. We are docking in Glasgow within the next few minutes, so I need Shual, Andria, Saldan, Jarlan, Henry, Phylla, Anthon, Mari, Spectre Bargatus and Commanders Autillin, Delern and Thermi'a to suit up. We move as soon as we have cleared our Spectres with the controllers. Suit up people and report to the cargo hold. We're taking the 20-seater shuttle. Dismissed," mum spoke into the speaker. I bounced by her side.

"Can I come?" I asked. Mum frowned down at me.

"Absolutely not," she scoffed. "If there is a trap waiting for me there, I want you as far away from it as I can," She strolled towards the elevator.

"Aw, c'mon, please! I never get to go anywhere! I just wanna go out of the ship for a while!" I pleaded. Mum sighed as she hit the button for the top deck.

"No," she retorted sternly.

"Please! I wanna see where you grew up! I'll be so careful! I'll stay close to everyone! I swear!" I bounded around her, almost on the brink of whining. Mum rubbed her eyes as circled her for the entire time in the elevator. She started walking up the hall to her room.

"Gideon-" she began once more, finally finding her voice. I tilted my eyebrows up, trying to harness my puppy dog eyes.

"Please?" I whimpered. Mum sighed slowly, struggling to keep eye contact with me. Finally her eyes diverted and her shoulders sagged. I immediately perked, bouncing slightly. I knew I had won.

"Fine, but you stay next to Mat'al and you do not leave his side, do I make myself clear?" she waved her finger at me. My triumph died a little as she stepped around me.

"Sassy!? B-But why Sassy?" I begged, chasing after her. I eyed up Sassy's door as I passed it, wondering if he was in there already… a shudder ripped through me, powerful enough to make me pause mid-step. "Can't Cops look after me?"

"No, Cops can't look after you," a flanged voice snorted. I twirled around as Cops emerged from his room wearing his dark purple armour decorated in green stripes. I flopped forward, staring up at the massive alien. "Cops is busy babysitting everyone else," he smirked a touch. I flicked his head slightly to Dell. "See you down there, Dell,"

"Thanks Val, I appreciate it," mum smiled a touch before she walked into her room.

"But-" I tried.

"But nothing. Now if you really want to come, go put your armour on, you are not going out there in the middle of November dressed like that! You'll freeze!" Mum scowled. "And if there is a trap, at least you'll have some protection," I whined slightly, looking back to see Val already disappearing into the elevator. After a war between going to see where mum grew up and staying with Sassy, I sighed and let my upper body sag.

"Yes, mum," I conceded. Mum nodded before the door closed. I sulked as I slunk down the hall to my room. It was the third on the right if you were leaving mum's room.

I didn't really spend an awful lot of time in here, I admitted when the door opened. Nothing had shifted from where it had been when I first got this room. I came in here so little that dust hadn't even had a chance to form to coat the entire place. I only every used the bathroom and that was only because mum took forever in the mornings. The bed was still not made, the sheets, duvet and pillow cases folded nearly on top, ready to be put on. I didn't sleep alone. I had too many experiences to tell me that was a stupid idea. The desk had nothing on it other than the small computer and the sofa didn't even a crease on it.

The wardrobe between my desk and bathroom was pretty sparse. I had my uniforms for the ship, a few other clothes for shore leave, whenever we got that, and my armour. I yanked the dark purple thing out, hurriedly. It was a child version of the Kassa Fabrication armour, with the circles in the middle of the torso a lighter purple colour, like mum's armour. I had a few purple stripes too, like on the thighs and on the back. I wasn't the biggest fan of purple, but no one else complained and it was mum's choice so...there was nothing really I could do about it, I grumbled.

When I got it everything on, I dug out a box at the bottom of the wardrobe. Inside lay a sorry looking pistol and an old Swiss army knife I had picked up along the way while jumping from ship to ship. I tucked the knife away in one of my pockets on my belt and snapped the pistol to my hip. Compared to mum's new guns, which just came in a few days ago I think, my pistol was just old and pathetic. It had saved me too many times though to just throw it away though. I think that was me… I nodded firmly before charging out the door.

I got about 2 steps down the hall before I got yanked back though. I flailed to keep my balance, grabbing onto whatever had snagged me. I glanced up, a shudder trembling down my back.

"H-Hi Sassy," I greeted with a nervous smile. The salarian flicked a half smile before lifting me off the ground and planting me in a more steady position. I flushed slightly.

"Good morning, Gideon," Sassy greeted, walking down the hall. I reluctantly shadowed him. "So, Dell has informed me that I am to watch you for this mission," I shuffled uncomfortably.

"Y-Yeah, Cops is too busy with everyone else," I muttered as the elevator doors closed behind us. Sassy glanced at a camera in the corner of the elevator before bringing out his omni-tool, the light went out on the camera. I gawked at him. What was he doing?

"Gideon, listen and listen well, boy. I am not known to repeat things kindly," Sassy began, crossing his arms. I shuffled back a little, facing him with a heavy weight settling in my chest. "Your mother is under a great deal of stress and anxiety right now-"

"I know that, I'm not blind," I muttered sourly. Sassy raised a brow, silencing me while my blood froze.

"I am well aware that you have eyes, Gideon," Sassy retorted coldly. "But this is your first mission and I will not allow you to put your mother, or anyone else, in danger because of your folly or arrogance. You will see a side to your mother that you have never seen before – and with any luck, will never see again,"

"I've seen Dell cry before," I grumbled disheartened.

"But you haven't seen your mother neck deep in grief," Sassy answered lightly. I frowned, shuffling as I eyed the numbers counting down. Sassy slipped a hand inside one of his pouches at his hip. He dragged out an omni-tool ring. He held it out to me.

"…I've already got an omni-tool," I told him slowly. Sassy smirk was slow.

"You'll want this one. Don't let your mother find it though," he answered. I opened my mouth, suffocating on my words. After a moment I took the omni-tool, wordlessly snapping it on my wrist. My older one went into one of my pouches.

I jumped when the doors opened on the cargo hold. The ground crew was waiting for us by the large light grey, black and purple shuttle on the left side of the ship. They were checking their weapons as we approached them.

"Took your time, Delern," Cops noted. Sassy shrugged.

"Elevator malfunctioned, decided it wanted to slow down," Sassy answered coolly as he strode over the weapons bench. Mum was fiddling with her new Locust, her new pistol at her hip.

"Grab your gear and let's move," Mum hopped into the shuttle, sitting down at a far-side window. Cops was a step behind and Diri was herding everyone else in. I hopped up and sat opposite mum. Sassy was the last one in. "Alright Mari, we're ready. Raisha is handling the whole Spectre business with Rosmani and Sitoln so we shouldn't need to worry too much about that," she babbled.

"Aye, aye, Captain. Co-ordinates set for Kinlochleven," Mari relayed. The engines hummed loudly before the crane lifted us to the cargo door. After a few seconds, Mari steered us out and clear of the _Starquake_.

"You had much practice with the Paladin yet?" Cops asked. Mum flicked a smile.

"Some. It's… well, it isn't too different from the Carnifex. I'll get used to… it," her words died as the city appeared on the right side of the shuttle.

I stared, bugged eyed, at the city below me. A river lazily cut through the city, towering skyscrapers surrounding smaller, old stone buildings that looked hundreds of years old. A huge road with lights directing the shuttles above wiggled through the city, the grey ribbon was cracked with age with plants growing on it, but the towering beacons above them were new and shiny. It looked… well, it looked like the city was having a hard time letting go of some of its past. The most packed part of the city was completely stone and brick buildings, all the modern ones were skirting the edges of it.

I heard mum choke a little. I snapped away from the window, finding her just as hypnotised at the scene as I was. But judging from how contorted her face was, it wasn't wonder that held her. Cops dropped a hand and squeezed her knee firmly, looking at the same scenes as she. Mum lifted a finger, pointing at something.

"T-That's my old university. I spent four years of my life cursing that blasted place. Oh Christ, Hogwarts hasn't changed a bit. A-And that's where I stayed in halls, although…although those flats are long gone now. Oh Jesus, is that bar still open? How hell is that rip-off piece of shit still open?" Mum bit her thumb, struggling to hold back the tears. "God, everything is… I-I barely recognise anything. Apart from my uni, Kelvingrove Museum, parts of the city centre. I didn't think Glasgow could get such a facelift,"

"You alright?" Cops asked softly. Mum swallowed hard.

"Y-yeah. I-it's like meeting a friend you haven't spoken to in years… only they've had massive plastic surgery," Mum managed a weak smile. Cops smirked, his expression lighting up a little.

"Don't forget the sex change!" Diri added. Dell spurted out a laugh, surprised. She turned back to the city.

"Absolutely, you can't forget the sex change," she offered a smile. I blinked, slowly. I couldn't really think about what to say… I didn't want to hurt her…

The chatter was quiet apart from the odd titbit from mum about somewhere the recognised. We were beginning to hit the really high mountains now, with huge lakes everywhere. I rested my forehead against the window, watching the clouds billow. It hadn't been a nice day, it had been raining reasonably heavily in Glasgow but it was just getting worse. And the wind would buffer against us all the time too. Mum didn't seem all that bothered, as if she had expected this. During the trip, the shuttle was filled with a rapid tapping sound that had been slowly getting louder and faster with each passing moment. It was coming from mum, tapping her foot. Finally, just 5 minutes from landing, mum whipped around to Mari in the cockpit.

"Mari, drop us off on Garbh Bheinn for a few minutes," she said. Mari's blank expression spoke volumes. Mum sighed, agitated. "I'll point it out, it's a Munro mountain," she pulled herself out of the chair, diving into the cockpit. The shuttle was almost dead as we listened in. "Not that mountain there, that's Aonach Eagach Ridge. We want the mountain just behind that… no, that one… well technically it is that one. That's the actual peak but in this weather I just want to go to that lower peak there, just to the northeast a bit,"

I frowned as people starting yanking on their helmets.

A few moments later, we touch town on the rubbly hillside. Mum nearly threw the door open as she jumped out. Cops and Diri were immediately behind her as the rest of the shuttle emptied. I hopped out when I could but being at the furthest side from the opening slowed me substantially. I wobbled as I traversed the loose rocks that littered this relatively flat part of the mountain as I tried to catch up to mum. Mum hadn't even bothered to pull her helmet on, her red hair whipping in the gusts. By the time I got to her, mum was on her knees.

"Take your time," Cops murmured softly, a hands on mum's shoulders, squeezing firmly. "We're all here for you," I shuffled up beside her, quivering at the thought of what I would see.

Mum was very, very pale now. The tips of her fingers were pressed so tightly on her lips I was amazed she hadn't dislocated her jaw. Her eyes were wide, fixated on the scene before her. Tears threatened to spill free in the howling wind and battering rain. This was… I hadn't seen Dell like this. She had always seemed so strong to me and to see her break so… I turned to the scene before me, determined to find a reason for her tears, to make someone pay!

But I didn't know if there was anyone to blame. The small town that lay before was long abandoned, trees has overwhelmed the entire valley. The most dominating feature was a massive landslip, a huge scar on the hillside in the distance that still hadn't recovered. It had completely consumed the northern part of the town, sparing only the far eastern side. Everything in the northern part of the river was obliterated. The southern half had been warped and cracked by trees and time.

There wasn't very much left. I dreaded to think how long it would take to get through those trees…


	33. Chapter 33

_The Saboteur Sheet has been updated for this chapter. Please see profile for the link._

* * *

I have never been so relieved as I had been when we were on the shuttle to Ireland. To save Lanster complaining like a child, we left the _Starquake_ in Glasgow and travelled to Ireland on the shuttle. I smiled a touch. Oh, Gideon was none too impressed about being left behind, especially after his first taste of freedom. But to be honest, I had expected him to get away from Mat'al. Maybe not as easily as he did but I had expected it. On top of that, with a Saboteur, I didn't need a meat shield used against me.

But the relief? Well, I had no idea what had happened to me in Kinlochlevon. The buzzing was just… maddening! It was like worms burrowing through my skull, eating away at me. It tore my sanity from me. I saw shadows of people and monsters in the trees, heard whispers of languages long dead. It was some seriously messed up crap anyway. I was going to need a severe dose of sleeping pills tonight.

Gideon kept a lot of the paper messages from Marshal and passed them onto me. What he had said… concerned me if nothing else. What had he meant by 'separated'? Separated from who? Who had taken Marshal into space? And the date of this Saboteur assault? It was 3 days before I woke up on Xawin and was taken aboard the Normandy. But then there was the 'awakening' part as well. How long had I been awake for? I chewed my lip, watching the rolling hills of the southern part of Ireland masked with cloud and rain. We were almost there… almost at my mother's mansion.

I never spent an awful lot of time there in all honesty. It was more a summer or winter retreat when mum or dad needed to get away from their careers for a while. It was also the home base for dad and his experimental computer stuff. It was the main reason Marshal's servers were housed here, why all of our most treasured belongings had been in the vault. The estate had been in my mother's family for I don't even know how many generations. It was meant to be passed down to me… I don't know what became of the estate after my disappearance though. My mum was an only child and there was only one other person who would have been eligible to take it…

I shook my head violently. That was not a path I was walking down. I needed to focus, not worry about people long dead! I shook my shoulders out, breathing deeply. Ventry would soon be here, one of the most western parts of the entire island of Ireland, stuck out on a narrow peninsula. Was it still in one piece? Did it have new owners? I was dreading the answer. Neither were good possibilities. Both had their own complications.

"Where are we heading, Captain? Ventry is just ahead," Mari called. I reluctantly stood up to walk into the cockpit, landing hard on the co-pilot seat.

Ventry was still populated from the looks of things. Not as much as it had been, not with the rising sea level. That alone made me worry. The estate had been awfully close to the coast… A few farms still scattered the hills and a few holiday cottages had been pushed back, further from the coast. The estate itself, from what I saw, was mostly underwater. I winced slightly, noting that one of the outbuildings had long since collapsed. I used to play table tennis in there…

The house itself looked like it suffered from water, but with low tide it was perched on dry land for now. It was safe to say no one lived in that house. There were temporary barriers around the house, to keep it dry but I doubted their effectiveness. I was surprised by the overall integrity. It looked… pretty stable actually. There was some damaged brick work, some minor roof damages but overall, the massive, red sandstone structure was still standing. I suppose I was relived about that.

"Right there, Mari, that massive building on the coast," I pointed out. Mari frowned.

"The one… in the sea?" she asked slowly. I offered a dry smile.

"Pretty much. Mum always did want a coastal view. I don't think she meant that close though," I snorted softly. I heard a harsh 'ha' from behind me, frowning at Shual. He didn't even look sheepish!

"I'll drop you off and wait a little ways back, just in case the tide comes in. Radio when you're ready," Mari said. I nodded firmly, already hauling myself out of the seat. Indira patted my hip as I passed.

"No buzzing?" she asked. I shook my head.

"None, I guess… I guess Kinlochleven had something to do with it. Let's just… Let's just get this evidence and get out of here. If we run into the Saboteur, awesome, if not, we'll get them later," I answered firmly, more to myself to keep my head from tumbling wildly.

I pushed the door open as Mari hovered over the ground, jumping down onto the sand. The crew followed me wordlessly, Indira, Val and Mat'al at my flanks. I took out the Paladin, easing the unfamiliar gun into a comfortable position. As Mari took off, the doors of the manor lay before me, barnacles plastering the lower half of the door. I set my jaw, clenching my teeth as I marched over the seaweed covered sand, over what used to be pristine gravel path.

I shoved my shoulder into the door, the rusted hinges eventually caving with a help from a krogan. I stumbled inside the building. My determination dwindled. Small rock pools had formed inside the building with sand piled high on the seaward walls. Doors had rotted away, paintings that had once decked the walls were long gone. The marble staircase was covered in seaweed and rotten material and wood from ceiling above. The glass dome above my head was a twisted husk. The floor, once marble and granite, only poked out of small patches from the sand and gravel.

The pain was only forgotten when I noticed the intense trails of footprints in the sand.

The barriers had done a good job at keeping the water out for a while to preserve footprints. I knelt down, trying to judge them. They looked human, one set was definitely turian and there was at least 2 salarians. Their feet were so round it couldn't be anything else. I didn't know how many humans or asari were there, they all blended into one. I nearly bit my lip off as I straightened, Paladin tight in my hand. I began walking, heading around to the right of the staircase, aiming for a door that had been sheared off its hinges.

"I know you're here, Saboteur," I called. I scanned the upper balconies. "And I know you know I'm here. Let's see how we play this, shall we?" I set my gaze ahead, marching for the door. There was no way they could have missed the shuttle. If they were still here, that was.

"This place is all forms of creepy," Indira remarked. I snorted.

"It was less welcoming to the sea when I last here. C'mon, the Vault is in the rear ballroom," I joked.

"Rear ballroom? You have more than one?" Val snorted mockingly. I sulked.

"This is an old Victorian manor that once held some of the most prestigious people in the world at the time. Of course it has more than one ballroom!" I grumbled as I entered the old south lounge. Nothing remained, although the sand was slightly higher here than in the main hall. Even the furniture had been reduced to twigs. I marched through the door opposite me.

The old south entrance, once an absolute greenhouse towered with plants and glass on all sides was reduced to dust. The old shell that held the glass was somewhat remaining but the majority of it was on the ground. Being exposed, it made getting through the door at the other end to reach the rear ballroom a pain for the taller members of the team.

The rear ballroom itself was in a better state, if only because it had been cleaned up substantially. Cables ran everywhere, diving under the old granite floor and forcing their way into the walls. We used this mostly for parties or gatherings, sometimes a storage room if we were redecorating. It didn't hold any furniture now, just husked out bookshelves on the back wall and a towering square block of metal. I slowly approached the metal wall, the bookcase it normally hid behind long abandoned on the floor.

"Marshal!" I summoned.

I squealed with my drone buzzed to my side, bouncing happily. Bollocks! Didn't think of that!

"No, Mar, not you," I grabbed the drone, holding it to my chest. I turned to the metal wall, watching several black circles on the lower half of the wall swirl, focusing on me.

"Good evening, Miss Shaik. You look well, given the circumstances," a robotic, male voice called. I flicked a smile.

"Yeah well, I've been through some shit, Marshal- Goddam it Mar, not you!" I growled at the drone. I sighed. "Open the Vault,"

"I am afraid I cannot, Miss Shaik," Marshal responded. I frowned severely.

"Marshal, I'm giving you an order, and for fuck sake! Who knows how to deafen this drone for a few minutes?!" I raged as Mar bounced eagerly out of my grip.

"Give him here," Val sighed, taking the drone. Mar beeped, confused.

"Stay with Val, Mar," I turned to the vault once more. "Open the Vault,"

"As I said, Miss Shaik, I cannot. The Vault's Dead Man's bolts have triggered. I do not have the authority to override them myself. I will need one of the override codes in order to open it. Besides, even if I could open it, I would not. I explicitly told the young 'Shaik' to inform you not to come here," Marshal explained.

"You know, for an AI, you aren't all that outward thinking," I snorted. "And Gideon is a Shaik!"

"Thank God," Henry muttered.

"I have several AI shackles in place, Miss Shaik, as you are aware. Had this been on my new server banks I could most certainly open the vault. However, I do not wish to tarnish Sir Shaik's work by over-writing his code. It has… sentimental value, for a lack of a better term. But Miss Shaik, I must bring your attention to the Saboteur-" Marshal said. I sighed, already aggravated.

"Which override codes, Marshal. There are at least 3 versions I know of," I asked sourly. "And fuck the Saboteur! We can handle it," Marshal was silent for a time.

"Well, to further prove your identity, I would ask for version 1," Marshal answered. I pointed a finger at a camera furiously.

"No! Absolutely not!" I snapped. I turned to my crew, realising with horror. "Give me version 3! No, even version 2! I am NOT doing version 1! I've not done Irish dancing since I was 12 let alone mum's weird Irish, Scottish, tap thing! I don't even have any shoes that would fit me anyway!"

"That was what you chose for your override," Marshal remarked, amused.

"I was 8!" I thundered.

"I did ask at the time if you were certain, Miss Shaik. You have the Shaik stubbornness however, Sir and Lady Shaik could not convince you otherwise," Marshal retorted. I frowned severely. I was not… but I need that… fuck!

"Fine, I'll go and see if there's any shoes lying around, you stubborn machine," I snarled, stomping towards the door on my left.

"Uh… Dell?" Val called. I whirled around, blinking. I sighed. Dammit, I was forgetting something wasn't I? Damn this place!

"Alright, Val, Indira, with me. Everyone else, secure the room," I groaned before continuing on my path.

In the next room, it was obliterated. Part of the wall had collapsed and the sand had claimed the first 4 steps on the grand staircase. The ends of the manor mirrored each other, it just meant more to look after. I grumbled as I jogged up the stairs, Val and Indira cautiously on my flanks. On the second floor, I had to stick close to the wall to ensure I didn't fall through the floor. Even then, Indira had to use her biotics to stabilise the walkway further. I was aiming for one room in particular as I tried to ignore how destroyed the decorative wooden panels were that lined this once bright and spacious hallway.

I dived into my parent's room. It was the only place I could think of that could possibly have shoes my size. My own room didn't interest me, strangely. I never really kept anything personal here, I spent most of my time in Kinlochleven. But my parents' room… God, there was still a picture frame, face down, on the rotted dresser in the corner. I reached out slowly, swallowing the hard lump in my throat. I lifted the frame up. My lungs emptied.

It was one of the copies of my parents' wedding. I was amazed by how pristine it was. My blond father with dark, almost ultramarine, eyes was grinning widely. My red haired mother was mid laughter, her green eyes masked behind eyeshadow. It had been raining that day, yet there they were, outside whatever their chosen venue was, soaked to the bone and smiling. My shoulders sagged as a tightness crawled up my throat, threatening to strangle me. We had been close, sure I yelled at them more than I should have in my later years but… just to have my mother hug me and tell me it was going to be alright…

I somehow managed to pass the frame to Indira, wordlessly, as tears threatened to pour free and my lips trembled.

"I… I-I want to take that back to the _Starquake_ …if possible," I gagged. Indira drew her brows together, determination setting her jaw.

"It'll get there, don't worry," she vowed. I smiled weakly before diving into the old wardrobe.

I found a large, metal box that wasn't too badly corroded. It had been hiding inside another wooden box that had protected it from most of the damage. Inside was half a dozen pairs of Irish dancing shoes. I breathed slowly. They were still in pretty good condition too, the leather was still moist! Mum, for some reason, had kept every pair of shoes she wore as she grew up. Blessedly, a pair of size 5 shoes appeared. I grabbed them before abandoning the room. My chest was too tight, too… everything!

Back in the rear ballroom, my crew had separated out, watching all points of entry into the room. And all had a lovely view of my soon to be shambled performance. I grumbled as I snapped the boots off, securing the old leather dance shoes on before giving a stern glare around the room. Alas, there was little I could do. I grumbled as I tapped one foot slowly, getting used to the feeling of these damn shoes again. Now I remembered why I stopped. I became too self-conscious. I glowered at the camera as a series of red lights zipped down the middle of safe.

The crew got comfy, in a way, as I attempted to retrace my childhood. It easily one of the more difficult memories to drag up, for some obscure reason. I had done this dance a thousand times for shows and school festivals but now? I grumbled, arms pinned to my sides as the sound of harsh tapping cracked through the air. My mind just wasn't agreeing with me, as if fighting me. The hard Irish tap shoes were horrendously loud on this floor. I frowned as the steps slowly emerged, being dragged from their dark crevice. I did my best to ignore the sniggers, especially when I tripped over a front click.

Over, seven, cut, lift, seven, beat, bicycle, front click. The room was filled with my screeches of frustration when I screwed up, which was every second step just above. It quickly turned into an hour before I was comfortable to even attempt to speed up the 70% I was happy with. I grit my teeth, pushing through despite the burn of my calves, that and the high kicks were killing my hips.

And then, it just clicked.

Despite the burn, my legs were finally co-operating. I back clicked like my life depended on it, flung my legs more than I thought physically possible. I could finally smirk smugly at the damn safe doors, the red lights slowly turn to green. I held my head high as the clicks finally made sense to me. I could remember my bloody childhood against my better judgement after all!

I was pleading for air when I finally finished, sweat pouring off in buckets as the final red light turned green and loud thunks shattered the silence. I grinned triumphantly. I hurled the shoes off my feet, abandoning them against the wall. I rubbed my toes in relief. I eagerly pulled my armoured boots back on. I stood up, noticed more than a few omni-tools on. I gawked.

"You were not recording that!" I snapped. The omni-tools vanished.

"No," an innocent reply sounded from around the room.

"Bastards! I want those deleted, dammit!" I thundered. I didn't see a single omni-tool open. I roared furiously. I nearly doubled over from asphyxiation.

"Miss Shaik," Marshal summoned. I whirled around to face him. "The dead man bolts have successfully released. However, I am still unhappy to-"

"Marshal. If you don't open that fucking door in the next 10 seconds I am calling in a bomb squad and we'll see how tough that bloody door is!" I snapped. "I have not completely embarrassed myself for nothing!"

"This thing really doesn't like you, does it?" Mat'al chortled. I growled at him.

"No shit, Sherlock," I grumbled. I heard Marshal sigh.

"I have been informed to keep the safe sealed, Miss Shaik," Marshal informed. "It was hoped that you would not be able to recall the override steps before backup arrived," I slowly turned back to Marshal, frowning. Who had he… but he didn't listen to anyone other than- "However, for the sake of Sir and Lady Shaik, I believe… you have survived thus far, Miss Shaik. I highly doubt there was no sacrifices on your part. You have also correctly fulfilled the needed requirements to open the Vault. It would be against my programming to deny you entry. But please, hurry Miss Shaik. My exterior cameras can see the Saboteur and their crew mobilising,"

"Mobilising? Give me details, Marshal!" I ordered as I ran for the metal door, the massive wall of metal creaking open. The crew regrouped almost immediately, Val's voice breaking over the silence like a wave.

"The Saboteur itself is a human female named Megan Prosser. Her Reaper is known as Keneiloe. She currently has 24 indoctrinated servants with her at present, but she is N7 and commands a much larger army. I do not recommend initiating combat. Not only is she extremely skilled but her SIA-SO means she is able to trick your senses, such as your eyes by using tiny shards of Reaper metal on her skin to reflect light," Marshal relayed as I jumped into the vault.

The massive shelves that were cramped into as small space as possible with only a few narrow alleys were bare, darkened with no light above them. Only a small line of lights leading to a shelf halfway into the massive vault, about a third of the size of a football field. I raced down there, almost crashing into the shelves as I skidded down the hall. The only object left in this vault was… I skidded before it, muscles frozen.

Why was Travis' pain-in-the arse phone here?!

I didn't have time. I grabbed the phone, amazed it was in as such good nick as it was, and slipped it into a pocket under my chest armour. I wasn't taking any chances. The answer to my disappearance lay inside this phone. I began back-tracking away from the vault, more than a little broken at the sheer… emptiness.

"W-What the hell is an SIC-SO?" I demanded weakly, exhaustion finally crawling through my body.

"It means Saboteur Induced Capability – Sense Overload. Call it a specialisation that allows the Saboteur to control the environment or their foes more readily. All of the Commandos have one of 4; Physical Disablement, Mental Assault, Sensory Overload – of which Keneiloe lies in – and Tech Incapacitation. The Martyrs each have their own unique one, yours as far as we understand is Pheromone Control in which you can manipulate those around hormones and other chemicals," Marshal explained.

"And here I thought I was sweating indoctrination! And that probably explains why Alea was screwing with my head so much!" I growled, leaping out of the Vault. I didn't particular like the thought of my senses being 'overloaded' and with this phone… "Everybody out! Forget this Saboteur, I need to know what this evidence is! Mari! Get over here quick!" I called into the radio.

_"I'm on the way, Captain, but there is a large group heading towards us-"_ Mari began.

"I know! Put the shields up and try to ignore them. We're evacing!" I commanded. The crew around me assembled. We ran out the left door, heading for the rear exit.

"Miss Shaik, who is Alea?" Marshal asked as I waited for people to pile through the doorway, eyeing the other doors nervously.

"Alea Shae'kal, an asari Saboteur. Alea was on Thessia last month, that Matriarch is still alive, sadly," I called as Shual got stuck in the door. I hauled on his limbs.

"This Saboteur are not known to us… do you know of any others?" Marshal quizzed. "Keneiloe is on the beach approaching the house now,"

"Thanks Mar," I grunted as I yanked Shual free. "I'd love to chat but we've no time though, we're gotta move!" I cried, darting out of the house and leading the crew along the beach, running east. I couldn't hear Marshal's response as the waves crashed on our right, encroaching on our escape.

I heard Jarlan cry out in surprise and tumble to the sand. Instinct slammed the anchors on and within a second I was sprinting madly in the opposite direction. Crew took a little longer to respond. Jarlan was on the sand, green blood pooling out from his thigh. Ahead of me, I saw the 25 strong team coming to ruin our day. They were opening fire on Jarlan. I grit my teeth, practically collapsing on him as the hail of bullets descended. My shields shattered in seconds, my armour cracked with each bullet to the back. Blessedly for me, I still had value on my head. The bullets fell silent. I was able to roll over, draw the Paladin and stare down the sight as the crew fanned out behind me.

The human Saboteur wasn't hard to spot. The blue-black haired woman, cut short to a bob and stained red on the underside, stalked closer with an assault rifle drawn. Her hazel eyes, brown on the outside with a slash of green in the middle, were almost dead as she approached. Her black armour had the N7 insignia and the traditional red and white stripe down the right arm.

"Commando Keneiloe, I presume," I called, reaching back to loop my arm under Jarlan's shoulders. The salarian was trembling something horrible. Megan flicked a smile.

"Indeed I am, such a pesky little AI that you have there. I've been trying for 20 years to get that thing open. You come along and only take an hour. I should have called you sooner," the smile vanished, eyebrows drawn tight together. "Give me the evidence, Endellion,"

"Fuck you," I snapped. Rain scattered into my eyes, making me blink. It was then I realised I wasn't even look at her now. I snarled.

"I won't ask again, Endellion. Give me the evidence or we'll start mowing down your little friends," Megan threatened.

"I'm getting too old for this shit," Drutus grumbled. I snorted softly.

"Eh, how about no? Also, I really don't like you things using my name. It's a bit creepy," I retorted haughtily, trying to ignore the white noise crackling in my ears. Megan's expression didn't falter.

"Very well, you've made your choice," she responded coldly. I snarled as I dragged Jarlan closer, away from the possibly death to be incoming. "Fire on the bare-faced!"

"Oh fuck you-" Val roared. His words died when an explosion kicked up the sand next to Megan. The Saboteur swung around, back to the house. I gawked.

A small army of mechs were marching towards them, some of them packed with rocket launchers. They began firing on Megan and her servants. My eyes were dragged upwards as a shuttle swung around, aiming for the beach behind us. I grit my teeth as I hauled Jarlan over my shoulders, holstering the Paladin.

"Put down smoke bombs! Let's get out of here! Move it!" I cried over the explosions.

God bless my team, about 12 canisters of smoke bombs flew through the air, creating a massive smokescreen as we sprinted for the hovering shuttle. We piled in, Shual hauling me in with my additional load, grinning as if I wouldn't have made the 2 foot hop without him. I frowned a touch but didn't complain as the Drutus and Mat'al hopped in last. They slammed the door shut.

"Go, Mari, go! Get back to Glasgow double time!" I demanded breathlessly.

"Aye, aye!" Mari cried, already swinging the shuttle around. I stumbled wildly before Saldan and Anthon grabbed me, keeping me upright. Kinking my neck, I managed to watch the battle on the beach, Megan's gaze fixated on the disappearing shuttle. I frowned at her.

Just for pettiness, I stuck my tongue out at her.


	34. Chapter 34

_The Timeline has been updated for this chapter. Please see profile for the link._

* * *

I stared out over the bustling city, Friday nights still seemed to be a mindless waddle to the nearest pub or club even after all these years. I smiled briefly, watching a gathering of girls in dresses showing far too much skin stumble down the street, clinging to each other in impossibly high heels. Goddam you, Glasgow, you'll never change… please, never change…

I mindlessly chewed down the fish supper before me, leaning over the banister in one of the massive lounges overlooking the tremendously expanded city. I didn't even know where Paisley was anymore, it had always been slapped onto Glasgow but… I sighed, clamping down on a piece of flaky fish. The taste was exactly the same as I remembered. Hell, the chippy even had deep fried Mars bars as a tourist food! I shook my head. It looked worse than it actually did, I admitted. It wasn't horrible…

"There you are!" I heard a voice behind me. I turned my head slowly as Val approached. "We've been looking everywhere for you! Everything's ready for take-off and… what the hell is that?" he gawked at my food. I smirked up at him.

"A traditional Scottish dish. Sorry, not dextro friendly," I answered innocently. His face twisted as he observed the offending pile of fish and chips.

"It… doesn't look very healthy," he remarked. I laughed, startled slightly.

"Absolutely not, this is about as bad as it gets… well, technically the deep fried Crème Egg is but that's only if you want to experience what eating the centre of the sun is like," I grinned. Val pulled a face.

"Right... Well, we're just waiting for you now. So uh… are you sure you don't want to stay for a bit? We just landed here this morning," Val coughed. I sighed severely, sagging over the banister.

"Yeah, I'm sure. I've learned I don't like coming to a familiar place only to realise I barely recognise it. I don't really feel anything here now, like I've… moved on, only it's the city that's moved on. There's nothing here for me, just painful memories. I'm more… more comfortable on the _Starquake_, back in the stars. It doesn't remind me of what I've lost, of what was stolen from me. Earth will always be a home but it's that home you only go to if you are absolutely stuck. It's… it's hard to describe," I shrugged, babbling. "Besides, there is no guarantee Megan will stay in Ireland. I want away from her as quickly as possible until I see what this evidence is," I pushed away from the banister, munching down as many chips and fish pieces as I could. I forgot how huge the portions were! I dumped the remaining crumbs in the final bin as I approached the _Starquake_.

"Mat'al is leading the crew to grab the data off that device you got in the vault. The tech is old and the electronics are a bit knackered, as you say, but the actual memory seems to be alright," Val informed me as I strode through the airlock.

"Some good news at least, any time estimate yet?" I asked. Val shrugged.

"A few hours, we'll be out of the Sol system by that time anyway. The Council will want an update too, so we'll leave that in your capable hands," Val smirked. I scowled at him.

"Giving me the shit jobs, are you?" I grumbled. Val laughed.

"You are the captain," he reminded. I sighed heavily.

"As I am being constantly reminded of. Everyone on board?" I muttered, entering the CIC. I scowled at the scene before me. "Gideon, off the chair,"

"Aww, but mum-" he whined. Sitting cross legged in the captain's chair.

"Off. Don't you still have homework?" I raised a brow as I approached the chair. Gideon sulked as he slipped off it.

"No, Ray made me do it all when you were away in Ireland. Lani took me around the dock though," he puffed out his chest.

"What did you break?" I asked dryly. Gideon's hackles shuddered and he stuck out his tongue. I grinned slightly. "Lanster, get us out of here. I'd rather not have Saboteurs go for the _Starquake_," I ordered.

"Aye, aye, Captain. Warming up the engines," Lanster called back. The bell went off, announcing we were taking off. The CIC filled quickly as people scrambled to their posts. I sat quietly while the _Starquake_ eased away from the dock, turning to return to London. Regulation restricted us from returning to space here, regretfully.

It took about 20 minutes before we were back in space, the rotary springing to life and powering towards the mass relay. I gazed at the passing planets, my mind wandering aimlessly as I stared at these planets I had always wished to see once upon a time, Saturn's rings looked particularly catching today. I shook my head. I wanted to leave. There would be other planets… other planets without the pain. Tension that had clenched my chest the moment I had entered the Sol system was slowly ebbing and vanished as soon as we hit the relay. I rubbed my eyes gently, heaving myself up from the chair.

"If the science team gets whatever was on that phone, call me immediately. I'm going to inform the Council about what I've learned. Maybe they have some information on Alea and Megan for us," I informed, lumbering towards the rear exit of the CIC. "Oh and Gideon. When I'm finished, it's bed time,"

"Aw but I'm not tired! I'm so pumped right now!" he cried. I half turned, looking over my shoulder at him with a flat expression. Gideon was braced against the ground, fists clenched before him as if he was powering up Dragonball style. After a moment a flush stained his face. "…I-I'm a little tired…"

"Thought so. Stay out of trouble," I warned him. I caught him sticking his tongue out at me in the reflection, causing a smile to appear on my face. I was still shaking my head when I walked into the elevator. I leaned against the wall, stretching my aching calf muscles. Bloody Marshal and his bloody overrides. My legs were going to kill me tomorrow…

I was almost glad to be back in my room, surrounded by the familiarly that had become accustomed to. There was nothing here that struck my heart strings… apart from the photograph of my parents. That was on a small table by the couch. I turned my eyes away from it for a time, wishing for peace and not more pain. I decided that the best way to distract me was to work. And working meant calling the Council. I waited while the call connected, leaning against my desk as the holographs were hazy balls before me. They sprung to life once everything connected. I forced myself straight.

"Captain Shaik, good day," Sparatus greeted when the holograms finally appeared. "How fares the mission?"

"The mission is complete, Councillors, we are in the process of retrieving some data we were able to collect and we have already left the Sol System," I informed briefly, saluting.

"Already? We were expecting this mission to take several days, Captain," Valern frowned. I offered a half smile.

"Complications and… things sped it up. I personally was not able to visit Kinlochleven, my Reaper disallowed it for some reason. I was unable to approach and thus my team continued on. My old property was located, however, and we were able to obtain important data that a Saboteur was in another property belonging to my parents in Ireland. We did not wait around, there was very little in Kinlochleven left to examine anyway," I explained vaguely. "Upon arriving in Ireland, we entered the property and were able to gain access to the old vault which contains some data that may be valuable in regards to how Saboteurs were formed. More specifically, my appearance here,"

"I see. And when can we expect to have this information regarding the Saboteurs?" Tevos asked.

"I do not know, Councillor, we are still trying to retrieve it. We do have another Saboteur to add to the list, however. A Miss Megan Prosser, a human female and N7 operative,"

"N7? You are certain?" Udina demanded. I struggled to rein in the sigh.

"Yes, Councillor, I am certain. She wasn't playing around with me like the other Saboteurs. She went straight for the throat. The N7 outfit was also genuine as far as I could see," I pressed sourly. "I'll have my full report of the mission forwarded as soon as I am able,"

"Very well, Captain, we eagerly await your report. We regret we have no leads on Alea Shea'kal for you at this time. We are continuing our investigations," Valern added.

"Thank you, Councillors. Good day," I saluted, waiting for the holograms to vanish.

I sagged, dragging my heavy body up the stairs to the bed. I didn't even bother changing out of my uniform, I just collapsed on the bed. I think I was asleep before I even hit the damn thing. The Reaper Nightmares always surfaced, no matter how many sleeping pills I took. They were steadily getting worse. Usually, I could get some happiness before it turned sour. This time, I was in Kinlochleven, watching the entire landslip come crashing down the slope towards me, mowing down my family. Even my crew were taken out by it. The nightmares always had a Reaper at some point. I had turned it into a little game by this point. It never had the horror effect after that, assuming that the Reaper was going to leap out at you like some elephant in a bad ninja outfit.

Morning chased away the nightmares and the usual morning headache was thumping away. I moaned, heaving myself into a sitting position. I blinked blearily at Gideon, cuddled up on the sofa, snoring softly. I smiled a touch, relieved that someone was able to get some sleep. I tossed off the blanket that had been lain over me at some point. I shook my head gently, easing myself to the shower. My legs felt like jelly, my knees quivering something fierce. It was horrendous! I had to sit down in the shower just to stop myself falling. With my hair tamed and with me not smelling like the sea anymore, I checked my omni-tool, glancing at the time.

It was 6 in the morning. Great, the skeleton crew wouldn't even be finished yet. I grumbled sourly, reluctantly realising I would have to do some report writing to pass the time. I think I would rather swim with fish than do report writing… Once relatively respectable, I was at that desk typing away quietly, hoping to not disturb Gideon. Writing the report was a little on the therapeutic side, allowing me to try and shove some of the mess in my head to the side. Especially the buzzing. It was a horrible, horrible sound that still rattled me whenever anything similar occurred. The bell was more than enough to make me jump.

The fact that these Saboteurs now had some special 'power' made this seem like a terrible Sci-fi movie, I muttered sourly. It would make sense, though, in a way. They had to be able to control the situation and improve their odds. With Megan, she had some kind of reflective material on her skin to shift my eyes from her. Alea was probably using something like indoctrination waves to twist my mind like hell. I dreaded to think what Physical Disablement did to you. And what did Tech Incapacitation do? Did it prevent guns from firing… oh. That was a horrible, horrible thought. And with biotic implants and omni-tools… no. No, that was a very, very good ability to have.

"Na na," I heard behind me. I frowned, looking over my shoulder. Gideon's bed was empty. I sighed heavily. Great.

"Good morning to you too, Jaws," I rumbled.

"Na na," he repeated. I frowned, scanning the room. Where the hell was he? There was glass between me and the upper tier!

"Gideon," I scolded.

"Nana nana nana nana nana nana ARRH!" he cried. I squealed when crashed into me, falling from above. Little bastard came at me from the roof!

"Gideon you little bandit, I'm gonna kick your sorry ass!" I growled, struggling with the flailing boy. "You bloody pygmy maw!"

"I'm not a pygmy!" he cried, taking me to the floor. I screamed helplessly, still struggling to pin his arms. Gideon flailed beneath me.

"Oh yes you are! How the hell did you get up there?!" I demanded. Gideon tried to worm his way free.

"The vents!" he grunted.

"The vents?! Oh you little-" I began.

"Good morning," an amused voice sounded. I glared up at the door, Mat'al was smirking at us. "Having fun?"

"Piss off," I snarled. Mat'al smirk grew a touch.

"Oh? And after my team has been working diligently all night in order to get that evidence of yours ready?" he quizzed. I froze, Gideon seeing an opportunity and squirming free.

"It's… ready?" I echoed. Mat'al nodded.

"Indeed. There is not very much there but I think we know what the actual evidence is," Mat'al began backing out of the door. I scrambled after him.

"Don't leave me hanging! What is it?" I demanded. Gideon followed, but he kept just out of grabbing distance, just in case.

"We haven't looked at it, I know the medium but not much else, we'll all be seeing it for the first time," Mat'al hit the elevator button for the fourth floor. I tapped my foot as I ran my tongue over my teeth, arms crossed. Mat'al ignored the heat in my eyes as we waited for the doors to open.

The doors opened us up immediately into the mess hall. The dextro-amino kitchen was to the right and the levo-amino acid on the left. And the room was packed. 4 of the massive round tables, arranged in a V to maximise the narrowing rear of the room, were full, the commanders and Raisha were in the furthest table, a hologram set up to project on the back wall. I breathed slowly. It made sense for everyone to see it, I knew, but I still… no. I shook my head firmly. These were my crew members, I had to trust them. I eyed the Spectres warily, then noticing Sitoln was nowhere to be found. I frowned at Rosmani. She shrugged.

"Had a call to take, trouble back home," she answered. She knew what I had been asking. I sighed slowly, approaching the last table. Shayan made the final adjustments to some computer in the middle of the table.

"M-Morning, Captain!" Shayan greeted.

"Everything ready?" I asked, noting my voice had creeped up a touch. I coughed to try and clear it.

"Yep, the controls are just there," he pointed to an empty seat. "We thought it best that you control it…" I smiled weakly as I sat down, Gideon dragging a chair over to cram himself between Val and I. Val scowled severely at the boy. I breathed slowly before touching a small holographic screen before me.

"I'm amazed you got it working so quickly," I commented as a HUD appeared, allowing me to select documents, photos and videos.

"We knew what we were dealing with, nothing too difficult," Mat'al grinned.

I checked the documents first, but the only thing there was an old essay Travis did for his Economics course. Pictures yielded even less than that, just a few pictures of Travis' friends at a nightclub. There was one of me, but there was a hand entering the screen to snatch the phone away. My stomach plunged to my feet. I knew exactly who that was… I moved to the next picture, trying desperately to stop my heart from shattering. I dived into the videos, finding 3. One was just one of Travis' drunk friends dancing on a table, it got a giggle out of some people behind me. The second was of me, in a nightclub. I was tucked away in a booth, trying to squeeze myself into the size of a pencil with nothing short of distress warping my face. I actually remembered that night, I shuddered. I could still taste the fear in my mouth.

The third video. The third video was a completely different beast. It was over two days long! Even the watch counter was abnormal. 4'368 watches. I frowned, I didn't even know that this phone could handle two days straight of recording…Well, I suppose the quality wasn't the best but Travis' father did run a tech business. He managed to get a terabyte SD card, so that could explain that. I reluctantly playing the video.

_The video showed Travis walking down a small wooded avenue, the trees in full bloom and the sunshine desperate the poke through the leaves. When he turned the camera, there was I, walking alongside him. I was holding my arms as if cold and I was constantly licking my lips. When I peeked at the camera, my upturn eyebrows and bitten lip were sure fire signs of my nerves._

"Where are we going?" I asked, tone quivering. Travis turned, walking backwards to get a full view of my face. I didn't look happy, I looked terrified and pale.

"Just to the old Elm, I have something I want to show you," Travis answered, a strong, south east London accent coming through.

"I-I'd rather go back to town, please," I asked meekly.

"10 minutes, that's all I need!" Travis reached out, taking my hand and dragging me onwards. A small sound escaped me, panic as I nearly fell over. Seconds later, the old Elm, a massive tree in a clearing with stump stools, appeared. Travis released me once we were near the base of the tree. My hand immediately went back to my arms, hugging myself.

"W-What's going on?" I asked quietly.

"We've been together for about 4 years now, Dell. I'm hearing rumours you're thinking of moving to Glasgow permanently instead of down to London with me. So I need to do this now before this turns into a long distance relationship, Delly" Travis explained, focusing the camera on my face. My shoulders rattled, spine straightening.

"You're not allowed to call me that," I told him, the faintest sign of firmness finally appearing in my tone.

"Why? Because of that asshole? He abandoned you!" Travis snapped.

"Enough," I pressed, my voice quivering. "You know how much it hurts… you keep bringing it up," I added weakly.

"Because you need to forget that asshole and move on! And I have just the ticket," Travis' voice sounded triumphant. I eyed him warily, half turning away from him. "And I want to catch the moment," Concern crossed over my face for a moment, eyes diverting to something as he rustled around.

"Travis?" I asked, tone pitching higher. Suddenly, the camera lowered, looking up at me. Realisation was quickly replacing concern.

"Dell, would you marry me?" Travis asked.

If I had been pale before, I was snow white now. My jaw dropped, eyes widened to dishes. Sheer terror spread like wildfire.

"A-Ah T-T-Travis, I-I don't t-think that's a-a very good idea!" I stammered, backing away slightly.

"Oh c'mon Dell! Think about it! You and me down in London, showing all those peasants what a high life is! Holidays abroad, a mansion in the country. Maybe even the pitter patter of tiny feet," Travis pressed, closing the distance. I was gagging on my words.

"T-Travis, y-you know I-I don't want children… I-I don't… Ok. I-I think this is a good time to say this…" I swallowed, trembling when his hand touched my shoulder, inching up to my neck.

"Oh Dell, I know you love me-" Travis began suavely.

"Travis, I don't want to continue this!" I blurted out. The camera became very still. I was trembling horribly.

"I'm sorry?" Travis asked slowly. I swallowed, trying to compose myself.

"I want to end this… us. O-Over the past month, ever since we first slept together, you have been… pushy. Travis, i-it really hurt the first time. I-I didn't want to do it again last night. B-But you convinced me to try it again a-and I realised it still hurt. B-But when I told you to stop, begged you to but you… you didn't. Travis, y-you-" I began, slowly descending into whimpering, as if something on Travis' face was forcing me into silence.

"Don't you dare use the r word! You consented! You can't just change your mind halfway through!" Travis roared. I quaked before him. My eyes darted to the trees for a moment, before coming back.

"But-" I pleaded.

"No, Dell. Here's what's going to happen. You're going to say yes because, let's be honest, you weren't the most unpopular girl school for nothing, I mean look at you! About as courageous as a chicken and as pretty as a hairless cat," Travis answered haughtily. My face blanked, staring at the camera emotionlessly.

I jumped at a crack next me, Val had snapped his mandibles so hard I was amazed he hadn't broken them off. I breathed before turning back to the video.

_"You aren't going to find anyone better than me, let's be honest here," Travis continued._

"Well maybe I'd rather be alone for the rest of my life than spend another day with you!" I thundered. My furious expression burnt out immediately. "Oh no…" I whispered.

"Really, is that how it is?" Travis asked, his tone becoming more aggressive. I took a few steps back, glancing back to the trees.

"T-Travis please I'm – oh what is that buzzing? – Travis, please, I just wanna go back," I pleaded.

Wait…buzzing? I listened to the video more carefully. There was… a faint buzzing, absolutely. Almost like what I heard in Kinlochleven-

_"Oh don't you try changing the subject here! You are not leaving me, dammit!" Travis snapped._

"Please Travis! Can't you hear it? I'm going back, I don't want to be here! I wanna leave!" I begged, desperately clinging to anything that would help me get away. I was already turning away.

"It's fucking bugs, now get back here! Or are you going to go cry to your corrupt father!" Travis demanded.

"Fuck you, Travis! Would you just-… just…" I trailed off, eyes turning wide once more. Travis turned around, the buzzing was almost insane.

The camera caught the sight of a massive swarm of insects, each insect almost as big as my head.

"What the actual fuck!" Travis roared, already sprinting away from them. I screamed as I tried to chase him.

"Travis! Wait!" I pleaded.

"Hell no! You wanted to end this right?! I don't have to outrun them, I just have to outrun you! You're mum's money isn't worth this shit!" he cried.

The camera was swinging with his arms. After a few seconds, a scream pitched free before dying short. Travis raised the phone, turning the front camera on. I could make out one of his brown eyes. In the distance, I was on the ground, motionless but eyes wide as several large insects crawled over me. A massive swarm continued after Travis though. He returned the camera to the rear camera just in time to see a tree root appear. Travis swore, the camera tumbling through the air as he tripped over. He screamed in terror as the swarm descended, one of his arms falling still near in sight of the camera as it fell against a tree. He was silent, as was his arm.

Within seconds, something emerged from the trees. Like biped, massive insects with flat, fanned crests on their heads and 4 eyes walked over to me, examining me. I think I could make out my eyes twitching. After a moment, a pair approached Travis. Their skin was warped and brown, carrying rifles not too dissimilar to today's rifles. It only took seconds, but one of them seemed to nod. A pair picked me up, carrying me off camera while a click nearby heralded the end. A loud bang followed by a massive spray of blood flew past the camera. The large aliens disappeared, but the insects swarmed. Every inch of Travis' body was covered in insects. Seconds passed, just mere seconds, but when the swarm vanished, not even the blood stain remained. Everything was gone.

I stared at the screen, transfixed. I couldn't even breathe. I glanced down to the controls, watching a timeline of the video. The audio line was still apart from at the very last few seconds. My twitching finger reluctantly fast forwarded the video, day turning into night then day once more, how had the battery survived that long? Just before the last piece of audio, I played it once more.

_There was leaf rustling, a touch beam passed over the area, scanning. The faint cries of 'Dell' filled the air. More torch beams, eventually a few feet strolled past. One torch turned backwards and blinded the camera. The activity was instant._

"A phone? Adrian! Adrian, over here!" a man called. The sound of running footfalls through the leaf litter followed soon after.

"What, what is it? Have you found her?" A gasping man's voice pleaded. He followed the torch beam. He frantically scrambled for the phone, raising it up. His face was lit up with torch beams, slight wrinkles on his face with greying, blond hair. His expression was distraught. "I-It's Travis', oh God if he's hurt her I'll fucking kill him!" he turned the phone to face the screen. "Is it… recording? I-Its recording? Oh fuck, how do you work this thing? The battery's almost dead! Jul-!"

The battery died. The video ended. I stared blankly at the black screen. I was numb. I was cold. I didn't know what was worse. Watching my father's distress. Or knowing he knew what had happened to me… and there was nothing he could do. I struggled to swallow, struggled to do anything. I had been… I had been kidnapped by aliens I had never met. I had tried to break up with Travis too… why didn't I remember that? Why didn't I remember sleeping with him a second time!? I touched my lips, finally noticing my entire body was trembling. Raisha had abandoned her seat, gently massaging my shoulders with her massive hands.

"Are you well, Endellion?" she asked softly. I mutely shook my head. My earlier headache had resurfaced, a headache beyond anything I had ever experienced. White dots blotted my vision. I mustered as much strength as I could to speak.

"I-I," I shambled. I swallowed. "I-I'd like to… to do that… that override thing. I-If that chip is there," I managed breathlessly.

"Of course, Endellion. We'll have Saere and the rest of the science team see what they can do," Raisha assured. My eyes were still transfixed to the black screen. Raisha nearly had to carry me downstairs to the med bay.


	35. Chapter 35

"Outfits?" I asked, securing the heels to my feet. Indira bit her tongue gently as she scanned the datapad.

"Check," she sounded.

"Body paint?" I added, standing to test the shoes. I twirled for good measure.

"Check," Indira responded.

"Contact lenses, masks, voice disruptors, weapons, shields, invitations, voice acting, back-up, shuttles?" I listed, raised an eyebrow. Indira smirked.

"Check, check, check, check, check, check, working on it, check and check!" she clasped the datapad behind her back. "Relax, Dellion! Everything will go fine! We've been working on this for months! I mean, it's too bad we can't get contacts to work on you, the purple still shines though. I blame the Reaper,"

"As do I," I scowled. "But I'm still worried! One screw up and everything is going to turn into an artillery field!" I breathed heavily, pacing the upper tier of my room.

"Ooo! Artillery! We didn't think of that!" Indira perked. I groaned loudly. I did not need Indira's crazy ideas right now!

"Can I get some good news please?!" I begged.

"Good news here!" I heard cry behind me. I turned to the door, blinking down at Gideon as he carried an armful of clothes. Marshal hovered beside him, equally as burdened. "Cops, Sassy, Phentos, Dick-Muncher, Iona, Una, Searte, Lynetllia, Hakern, Jarlan, Lesley, Kai and Alder are all ready to go, Seth is struggling to get his bow tie on though and Etal is complaining about the dress colour," Gideon informed. "Also, Flash, Laegan and Drutus are already on site and are in position, the cars are here to take some people to the party soon too,"

"Please come up with a new nickname for Marruns, Gideon," I complained. "As true as it is, I want to keep the swearing to a minimum," Gideon sulked a touch.

"Fine, I'll call him Whiney," he grumbled.

"Better. Tell Seth to man up and ask Ishisus to help him and tell Etal she is more than welcome to pass it onto Veshin and sit the mission out entirely," I ordered.

"Aye, aye!" Gideon cheered, spinning around and charging out the door.

I ran a hand over my tied hair as I sighed, finally reaching for a black haired wig and the decorative red, gold and black mask. The feathers on the left side were totally overkill but that was beside the point. I carefully eased the hair into place, making sure it was sitting right before putting on the mask. I looked myself over in the mirror, fixing the wing and making sure the mask was on straight.

"So people are moving out?" I asked, yanking my shoulders down as shawl was draped over my arms and looped down my back,

"Yup, as Gid said, the snipers are already in place, the first lot will be leaving soon. You're in the third lot of cars. Val is in the first shuttle load, Marruns is in the second load, Mat'al is in the final set," Indira bounced, grinning. "Every mask is hooked up with cameras and microphones straight from the Spectre research development, we'll see everything you do, on top of the snipers as well,"

"Fingers crossed this doesn't go south…" I muttered, striding out the door. Indira shadowed me.

"We'll be fine! We'll get her this time!" Indira pumped a fist. I managed a small smile as I hit the elevator button for the CIC. "Everyone is in position. We have the shuttles on standby to give backup fire in case of retreat, the rest of the combat team is on standby for ground support, the whole science and intel teams are watching the cameras and microphones and engineering is ready to get the _Starquake_ moving ASAP. Everything is covered!" Indira pressed.

"I trust nothing to go right," I sighed. "We can't find Rolidin to pin him down, Saria kicked my ass, Alea scared the absolute sanity from me and Megan probably could kick my ass in 4 seconds flat. I don't trust my luck with Saboteurs,"

"No one said it would be easy, Endellion," Raisha assured. I tore my gaze from Indira to the krogan, screens galore surrounding the CIC walls. "We cannot prepare any more than we already have. We will succeed for we have no other choice,"

"Thanks for the pressure, Raisha," I remarked dryly. Raisha tilted her head slightly, straightening her frame as her brows raised a notch. I just grumbled under her light scolding gaze.

_"First lot of cars are away, Captain. Off-setting them to decrease the suspicion,"_ Lanster informed.

"Thank you, Lanster," I shook my head. "OK, let's get down there and see who I'm with,"

"I think you're being partnered up with Alder, Dellion. Trying to match Sir Ronald Herron and his partner Eliza Carrison," Indira informed. I offered a smile before turning for the elevator. "We'll be watching you from here!" I held up a hand as the CIC doors closed behind me.

My shoulders sagged as I slunk down towards the elevator, biting my lip as I journeyed towards the cargo hold. Once there, the sight of Lera'laneia, one of Thessia's smaller cities, pocketed the sky before me through the open cargo door. It was disrupted with cars and people in the hold though, so I had no time to admire the crystal like tower punching through the clouds. I strolled towards the bustle of people, Cathleen and Conner both hard at work outfitting everyone with guns. I heard a short laugh and groaned.

"You look ridiculous, Shaik!" Marruns laughed. I spared him a glance.

"And you didn't look retarded until you opened your mouth," I grumbled. Marruns squeaked before snarling. "Everyone ready?"

"Almost. Alright, second lot of people board your cars! We're getting a lot of traffic now so we can afford a few extra cars!" Anthon cried, a datapad in hand. Iona, Marruns, Kai and Lesley broke away from the group of people, heading towards the cars. I breathed slowly.

"Here you go, Dell," Anthon passed my Paladin and Locust. I smiled as I took them, some weight lifting off my shoulders with some actual firepower in my hands now. I strapped them to a double holster on my left thigh. My right thigh had to contend with a massive slit that nearly went to the hip, no hiding a gun there. I glanced behind me as Etal and Seth finally appeared. "We're all set, we'll be fine," he winked.

"I wish everyone would stop saying that like it's a mantra," I whined, touching the mask to make absolutely sure it was there still.

It was only a few minutes before the call for the third lot of cars came. I strode over towards Alder, his dark mop cut slightly to fit the description slightly better. He was even growing a slight beard as well. I glanced towards Mat'al as I passed him, his dark skin now painted in a dark green with red marks at the corner of his eyes. I barely caught his gaze before I had to look where I was going. Alder, sweetly, offered a hand to help me into the back seat. It took everything to avoid rubbing my thighs when the car finally hovered and shot out towards the mansion.

I barely acknowledged the landscape of the rolling hills surrounding the craggy mountains overlooking a vast sea to the right. The mansion this party was held was in a massive bay between these towering peaks with a large expanse of land for gardens and who knows what else. It was easily triple the size of my mother's manor. Easily. I glanced at it with disdain, wondering how on earth Alea was able to afford such a place. Did the Saboteurs have a bank account? …Ha! Joint bank account… that was actually very frightening if some Saboteurs were rolling the money in… goddam it!

"Nervous, Captain?" Alder asked, a heavy dose of Indian in his accent. I offered a shaken smile.

"Nervous? No, not at all. Stressed? Oh yes, oh God yes," I sighed, checking myself in the rear view mirror. Everything was still in place. I breathed deeply as we began to descend, dropping towards the mansion.

The glass and concrete monstrosity was about 4 floors high and probably had something like 1000 rooms in it. I wouldn't be surprised if it had. It was a ghastly looking thing with weird angles and even weirder window designs. They weren't simple rectangles, more triangular stained pieces overlapping each other in some sort of 'art' display. I prayed I didn't stay long enough before the damn thing made me want to burn the whole thing down. The car pulled up next to several dozen others on the gravel pathway, a long fountain snaking its way down the drive and up the stairs to the door.

Alder helped me out, and I set my expression. It was mission time, time to go with the flow. Taking Alder's offered arm, we eased ourselves up the stairs, a decorative granite with massive pink crystals of feldspar. As we approached the massive glass doors, I spotted Val, painted a dark bronze colour with off-white markings all over his face inside the main hall, he had Lynetlia on his arm the blue asari changing her markings into a more decorative green marking. At least I knew someone was in!

"Good evening sir, madam. Invitations please?" the masked doorman… asari… asked. Alder produced the invitation, our false names on the paper. After checking the datapad, she bowed politely. "Thank you sir, ma'am. Please enjoy the evening," she swept her arm towards the door. We bowed or curtsied, as this pair did for some odd reason, before entering the building. I was so relieved to be inside!

In the bustle of the main hall, I could barely catch a glimpse of the rest of the crew around me, the room was packed. We would be ushered into the ballroom when everyone appeared to have arrived to begin the main festivities, no doubt. Masked asari wandered aimlessly, trays of wine and champagne and other alcoholic beverages balanced in their hands. Alder plucked off a glass of wine for me and for himself. I frowned at the rosé wine, almost gagging. I never agreed with wine but I was more of a red wine drinker myself. A quick sip to prove to everyone around me I wasn't just holding it for show proved to me very dry. I was not impressed already.

Alder was by far a more confident person than I and was easily dragging me into conversations I would have otherwise struggled to begin. Alder was able to hide most of his Indian accent, turning it more American with a slight twang. I was terrible at accents and could only muster a posh Inverness accent. I swore I even recognised a few voices from my time as a merc leader. I prayed I was imagining it. I didn't want to run into those people again.

An hour later the doors to the main hall were parted, enthralled gasps ringing up as the huge room, crystal dance floor, diamond 9 tiered chandelier, marble pillars wrapped in golden ivy and balconies with golden animals roaring as they splashed free from golden liquid the banisters. I admit it. I was slightly impressed. Slightly. I still had to kill this woman but she had interesting tastes at the very least. There was a buffet table heaped with food with clear indications on what was levo and dextro amino. My crew had strict rules; drink only to fit in, eat only to avoid suspicion. I didn't want to risk them getting poisoned.

But my mood soiled when I heard ballroom music play.

It was always bloody ballroom! I despised ballroom dancing! I hovered near Alder on the floor surrounding the dance floor, away from the twirling skirts and fluttering tails from the suits. I spied several of my crew already on the dance floor, some with their chosen partners if they had one, some with random strangers. Hell mend them, they were courageous. I prayed they weren't drunk! I reached up as if to brush some hair from my face before gently tapping the microphone hole 4 times. I waited.

_"Hey Dellion, having fun?"_ Indira's voice giggled in my ear, I tried to mask the scowl as I turned to Alder, my knuckle resting my jaw, pinkie resting on my lip and my thumb just under my ear. He turned to me, understanding. That was the signal I was communicating with the _Starquake_.

"I certainly am, certainly busier than I expected," I responded, speaking to Alder. Alder began speaking, but my attention was in my ear. He could hear what Indira was saying too, no doubt.

_"Oh I know! The Councillor really bombed on the number estimate. We've managed to count at least 143 people already!"_ Indira exclaimed. I smile slightly, but it was taut. That was about 40 more than we expected, and there was definitely at least 200 here. _"No sign of Alea yet, we'll let you know when we do,"_

"Indeed, well, we had best mingle," I replied. Alder glanced to the dance floor before reluctantly offering a hand. Bless him, he loathed dancing.

That was how the next two hours played out. Dancing, talking – lots of gossip, at least I now knew that one of the highest admirals in the Turian army had marriage problems – as well as odd behaviour as people began to get a little more alcohol into their systems. Most people were fine, it was just a small group that seemed determined to try a western style shoot out with champagne bottles. It was… oddly satisfying to see one, confused as he why he couldn't get his cork to free to smacked in the face with it. There was still no sign of Alea though. It had me concerned, very concerned.

Eventually, Alder got pulled away by one of the female crew members to have a catch-up on the dance floor. I wandered over to one of the pillars lining the edge of the room, a decorative table now filled with empty glasses. A lone male leaned against the pillar, shaking his head as he watched the sight before him. His blond hair was interrupted by the black and blue mask covering his eyes. I took a deep breath before sauntering over, leaning on the other side. I heard him snort.

"What a disaster," he commented.

"The bad dancing, the dry wine or the lack of a host?" I joked. A slight grin grew on his face.

"All of the above, on top of tasteless food, terrible dress sense… What was she thinking?" he shook his head as an asari twirled past in some god awful yellow dress. I struggled to understand if he was referring to the asari or Alea. I had to guess.

"Maybe it's a test, whoever can deal with the horrible nature of the whole thing gets to go into the real party later," I snorted. He chuckled.

"In a place this size, I wouldn't doubt that she had 4 test chambers," he turned to me, sapphire blue eyes flitting over me. My body froze for a moment, a flash of blue eyes from Alea's psychosis flaring up. I swallowed and pushed it to the side. I think I saw a scar just graze the corner of his left eye. "Come, I've noticed you taking it easy on your two-left footed partner," a smile slipped free reluctantly.

"That almost sounds like a challenge, sir," I remarked, taking his hand. He smirked.

"Perhaps it was," he hinted. I laughed weakly, following him onto the sparkling dance floor. We began to waltz. It was hard to keep eye contact with him, his eyes were too… critical I suppose.

"Interesting contact lenses," he remarked. I laughed, trying to fight off the tension trying to creep up.

"Darling, if you are going to go to a masquerade you must go the whole way. Where's the fun in stopping at simple masks?" I asked with a coy smile. He snorted a short laugh, grinning widely.

"Not much of a fancy dress man myself, but I praise your passion," he chuckled softly. He twirled me easily, a hand returning to my hip as he guided me around another two dancing couples.

"Well, already I can tell you that you surpass my partner on all fronts of dance," I snorted as we twirled. His grin was almost cheeky.

"Well, it isn't exactly hard," he joked.

"Oh don't tell him that. He tries so hard," I added with a light undertone of sarcasm. His laugh was sharp.

"I'll try not to hurt his feelings," he chuckled as the waltz ended. I heard the beginnings of a foxtrot. "Or yours," he added with a sly smirk. I offered an innocent smile before dragging him forwards three steps and nearly tipping him. He nearly gaped up at me.

"Oh please, do try to keep up," I laughed. He was silent for a moment before he laughed, pulling himself into a more stable position.

I think I spent nearly 2 dances with the man, foxtrot evolving into a jig. He was a very good dancer, he certainly knew where to put his feet and how to predict where I would be going. He was pretty strong too, although he was reasonably bulky, I did feel the muscle under his shoulders and arms. I think we spent the entire time complaining about the party as a whole, how mishandled it appeared to be. The lack of a host also seemed to be a sore point. I'm not sure why he was so eager to meet her, I was just desperate to rip her spine out. He twirled me before dragging me close, dropping me into a low dip. I had to hang onto his neck to stop myself falling backwards.

"Well, the night hasn't been a complete waste of time," he remarked. I laughed lightly a touch, I grinned up at him.

"There is always something to pick the party… up?" my words died, my eyes were fixated into the sea of blue before me. This close to his face, I could see it.

He had circuitry in his eyes.

His expression changed at almost the same time. The smile died and his grip on me tightened. I sucked in a deep breath as we straightened. We stood, rigid on the dance floor, gazing at each other. My legs trembled a touch as I gathered myself. I had come expecting to fight Alea and her mind fuck. The last thing I needed was _another_ Saboteur.

"Well. This is interesting," he began lightly. I offered a stiff smile.

"Oh absolutely. Unfortunate, but interesting," I agreed. His grip on my hand and hip tightened.

"Unfortunate indeed," he nearly echoed, whispering menacingly. I breathed heavily.

"Oh what a wonderful eve!" a voice cried.

The new Saboteur spun around, his grip on me weakening. I immediately ripped myself free, backing away. I caught sight of Mat'al and Val nearby and I shuffled towards them. I pulled my eyes up, spotting Alea on the second floor, overlooking the floor from the balcony. I made a signal behind my back: follow my lead. I quick glance confirmed the hand signal was flying throughout my scattered crew. The crowd waved and weaved, trying to get into a better position to see Alea. My crew took the opportunity and moved behind me, mixed among the crowd near the main entrance side of the hall. A gap had opened up around the new Saboteur as Alea smiled at him. The new Saboteur straightened, frowning severely as he was exposed by the retreating crowd.

"Zufiaurre, good evening," he remarked dryly. Alea smiled, her expression dead.

"Ah, Palalrian, you are proving to be just as pathetic as Nyryntha is. Your Shell should have been under control years ago," Alea remarked. My eyebrows shot up. Wait… Palalrian? But Palalrian was the Enforcer! He wasn't Namacuix? His… his Shell was still in control? I jumped when I heard yelps and curses. I watched people being shoved towards the man as a gap widened around him. About 35 people were shoved forward by the crowd, aliens of all species as they reluctantly huddled around him, offering apologetic looks to him before glaring up at Alea.

"What can I say? It's in our blood," Palalrian offered. Alea snorted venomously.

"It shall not be long now. The Advocacy is floating on the abyss, Keneiloe has already met with her and established as much. She will fall soon. And then you will have failed," Alea cooed. The new Saboteur snarled slightly. My eyes scanned the crowd, noticing several were getting ready to draw weapons. My hand eased down to Paladin at my thigh. "It is unfortunate, Palalrian. You are becoming far too troublesome and are proving to be impossible to control. Even Namacuix tires of having to deal with you,"

"Well, that is an unfortunate problem he will just have to put up with, isn't it?" Palalrian snorted. Guns were drawn then. I whipped mine out the match, to fit in. I couldn't let Alea notice me until we could get someone close to her! The crew followed suit. "So, you've indoctrinated all of these people, hmm?"

"Well, the Advocacy would have had a much easier time controlling the crowd than I, but the technology exists. The indoctrination process will have taken hold by the end of the evening," Alea retorted.

"Oh and your little sidekick didn't help?" Palalrian snarled. Alea paused. I felt my heart leap in my chest. Fuck!

"Sidekick?" Alea echoed. Palalrian laughed harshly.

"I've already discovered the other Saboteur, Zufiaurre. Too afraid to tackle me on your own?" he challenged haughtily. Alea straightened slowly, flicking her eyes around the crowd.

"There is no other Saboteur here… not by my request," Alea murmured. Palalrian's confidence died slightly.

"What? But then… why is…" he began. I glanced up to Alea, watching her eyes flick over the crowd. Her eyes landed on me. Reaper called to Reaper. Her eyes widened. My heart nearly exploded.

"FIRE!" I screeched. A heartbeat was all that stood between my command and the window shattering as several sniper rounds flew into her head, dropping her on the ground. Gunfire roared almost immediately. "Non-lethal! These people aren't fully indoctrinated! They might still be saved!" I cried over the noise as my shields shattered.

I flipped a switch on the Paladin as I dived for cover, turning my bullets into non-lethal electrocution rounds. I heard the screams of people around me and the smoke bombs shattered any hope of a clear shot. I had to punch a salarian in the face that tried to grab me and crack his head against a pillar to knock him out. I fired a few rounds at a group of turians, just in time to see a small band of the team –Mat'al, Phentos and Iona – clamber up the crowd in order to reach the second floor. They made a bee line for Alea, shotguns blazing. I ducked behind the pillar as a bullet soared past, my shields finally back up.

Over the gunfire, I heard a loud squelching sound. Peeking around the pillar, I saw Iona and Mat'al yanking the spine out, Iona pulling Alea, Mat'al on the spine. Phentos provided cover fire. Mat'al ran along the balcony before tossing the spine to Jarlan. He and Una raced out the room with the spine, sprinting towards the inbound shuttles. The trio on the balcony provided a high vantage point as we began to down the temporarily indoctrinated servants.

I poked my head out and threw out an overload at a crowd of asari, the electrocuted aliens twitching as they got caught in the crossfire. They dropped, whether they were alive or dead, I wasn't sure. I heard Val thunder over the noise, demanding the flanks be protected. As someone on the flanks, I took the time to release Mar, letting the drone cause chaos to a group of wild, hopefully temporarily indoctrinated servants. I ducked as a shotgun nearly blasted my eardrums, my ears ringing loudly as I reached up and grabbed someone appearing from over my cover. The poor human didn't stand a chance as I punched his lights out desperately.

It was all over in about 20 minutes. As I re-gathered the crew, my arm stung as the adrenaline wore off. Glancing down, I noted the bullet wound on my upper arm. I had somehow been shot and I didn't even notice… thanks adrenaline! I eased myself out into the open, waiting for the smoke to die. Val was by my side in a heartbeat as Mat'al, Iona and Phentos hopped back down the ground level. I scanned the crew as they emerged, bloodied but alive. I nodded, my earlier dread dying as warm relief spread through my chest. I waved a hand in the air as I began to back everyone back towards the exit.

A bullet bounced off the floor by my feet. My heart leapt to my throat as I whirled around, Paladin pointed.

Palalrian and his 'crew' as I could only guess, were on their feet, weapons free as they fanned out behind him. Palalrian's eyes were trained on me. I narrowed my eyes, the Paladin steady in my grip. I saw some members of his crew shambling to their feet. I wasn't sure how Palalrian managed to escape harm, probably ducked when all hell had broken loose and only a few of his people got caught in the crossfire. I set my jaw, eyebrows knotted together and frown cemented in place.

What to do with him…


	36. Chapter 36

"Outfits?" I asked, securing the heels to my feet. Indira bit her tongue gently as she scanned the datapad.

"Check," she sounded.

"Body paint?" I added, standing to test the shoes. I twirled for good measure.

"Check," Indira responded.

"Contact lenses, masks, voice disruptors, weapons, shields, invitations, voice acting, back-up, shuttles?" I listed, raised an eyebrow. Indira smirked.

"Check, check, check, check, check, check, working on it, check and check!" she clasped the datapad behind her back. "Relax, Dellion! Everything will go fine! We've been working on this for months! I mean, it's too bad we can't get contacts to work on you, the purple still shines though. I blame the Reaper,"

"As do I," I scowled. "But I'm still worried! One screw up and everything is going to turn into an artillery field!" I breathed heavily, pacing the upper tier of my room.

"Ooo! Artillery! We didn't think of that!" Indira perked. I groaned loudly. I did not need Indira's crazy ideas right now!

"Can I get some good news please?!" I begged.

"Good news here!" I heard cry behind me. I turned to the door, blinking down at Gideon as he carried an armful of clothes. Marshal hovered beside him, equally as burdened. "Cops, Sassy, Phentos, Dick-Muncher, Iona, Una, Searte, Lynetllia, Hakern, Jarlan, Lesley, Kai and Alder are all ready to go, Seth is struggling to get his bow tie on though and Etal is complaining about the dress colour," Gideon informed. "Also, Flash, Laegan and Drutus are already on site and are in position, the cars are here to take some people to the party soon too,"

"Please come up with a new nickname for Marruns, Gideon," I complained. "As true as it is, I want to keep the swearing to a minimum," Gideon sulked a touch.

"Fine, I'll call him Whiney," he grumbled.

"Better. Tell Seth to man up and ask Ishisus to help him and tell Etal she is more than welcome to pass it onto Veshin and sit the mission out entirely," I ordered.

"Aye, aye!" Gideon cheered, spinning around and charging out the door.

I ran a hand over my tied hair as I sighed, finally reaching for a black haired wig and the decorative red, gold and black mask. The feathers on the left side were totally overkill but that was beside the point. I carefully eased the hair into place, making sure it was sitting right before putting on the mask. I looked myself over in the mirror, fixing the wing and making sure the mask was on straight.

"So people are moving out?" I asked, yanking my shoulders down as shawl was draped over my arms and looped down my back,

"Yup, as Gid said, the snipers are already in place, the first lot will be leaving soon. You're in the third lot of cars. Val is in the first shuttle load, Marruns is in the second load, Mat'al is in the final set," Indira bounced, grinning. "Every mask is hooked up with cameras and microphones straight from the Spectre research development, we'll see everything you do, on top of the snipers as well,"

"Fingers crossed this doesn't go south…" I muttered, striding out the door. Indira shadowed me.

"We'll be fine! We'll get her this time!" Indira pumped a fist. I managed a small smile as I hit the elevator button for the CIC. "Everyone is in position. We have the shuttles on standby to give backup fire in case of retreat, the rest of the combat team is on standby for ground support, the whole science and intel teams are watching the cameras and microphones and engineering is ready to get the _Starquake_ moving ASAP. Everything is covered!" Indira pressed.

"I trust nothing to go right," I sighed. "We can't find Rolidin to pin him down, Saria kicked my ass, Alea scared the absolute sanity from me and Megan probably could kick my ass in 4 seconds flat. I don't trust my luck with Saboteurs,"

"No one said it would be easy, Endellion," Raisha assured. I tore my gaze from Indira to the krogan, screens galore surrounding the CIC walls. "We cannot prepare any more than we already have. We will succeed for we have no other choice,"

"Thanks for the pressure, Raisha," I remarked dryly. Raisha tilted her head slightly, straightening her frame as her brows raised a notch. I just grumbled under her light scolding gaze.

_"First lot of cars are away, Captain. Off-setting them to decrease the suspicion,"_ Lanster informed.

"Thank you, Lanster," I shook my head. "OK, let's get down there and see who I'm with,"

"I think you're being partnered up with Alder, Dellion. Trying to match Sir Ronald Herron and his partner Eliza Carrison," Indira informed. I offered a smile before turning for the elevator. "We'll be watching you from here!" I held up a hand as the CIC doors closed behind me.

My shoulders sagged as I slunk down towards the elevator, biting my lip as I journeyed towards the cargo hold. Once there, the sight of Lera'laneia, one of Thessia's smaller cities, pocketed the sky before me through the open cargo door. It was disrupted with cars and people in the hold though, so I had no time to admire the crystal like tower punching through the clouds. I strolled towards the bustle of people, Cathleen and Conner both hard at work outfitting everyone with guns. I heard a short laugh and groaned.

"You look ridiculous, Shaik!" Marruns laughed. I spared him a glance.

"And you didn't look retarded until you opened your mouth," I grumbled. Marruns squeaked before snarling. "Everyone ready?"

"Almost. Alright, second lot of people board your cars! We're getting a lot of traffic now so we can afford a few extra cars!" Anthon cried, a datapad in hand. Iona, Marruns, Kai and Lesley broke away from the group of people, heading towards the cars. I breathed slowly.

"Here you go, Dell," Anthon passed my Paladin and Locust. I smiled as I took them, some weight lifting off my shoulders with some actual firepower in my hands now. I strapped them to a double holster on my left thigh. My right thigh had to contend with a massive slit that nearly went to the hip, no hiding a gun there. I glanced behind me as Etal and Seth finally appeared. "We're all set, we'll be fine," he winked.

"I wish everyone would stop saying that like it's a mantra," I whined, touching the mask to make absolutely sure it was there still.

It was only a few minutes before the call for the third lot of cars came. I strode over towards Alder, his dark mop cut slightly to fit the description slightly better. He was even growing a slight beard as well. I glanced towards Mat'al as I passed him, his dark skin now painted in a dark green with red marks at the corner of his eyes. I barely caught his gaze before I had to look where I was going. Alder, sweetly, offered a hand to help me into the back seat. It took everything to avoid rubbing my thighs when the car finally hovered and shot out towards the mansion.

I barely acknowledged the landscape of the rolling hills surrounding the craggy mountains overlooking a vast sea to the right. The mansion this party was held was in a massive bay between these towering peaks with a large expanse of land for gardens and who knows what else. It was easily triple the size of my mother's manor. Easily. I glanced at it with disdain, wondering how on earth Alea was able to afford such a place. Did the Saboteurs have a bank account? …Ha! Joint bank account… that was actually very frightening if some Saboteurs were rolling the money in… goddam it!

"Nervous, Captain?" Alder asked, a heavy dose of Indian in his accent. I offered a shaken smile.

"Nervous? No, not at all. Stressed? Oh yes, oh God yes," I sighed, checking myself in the rear view mirror. Everything was still in place. I breathed deeply as we began to descend, dropping towards the mansion.

The glass and concrete monstrosity was about 4 floors high and probably had something like 1000 rooms in it. I wouldn't be surprised if it had. It was a ghastly looking thing with weird angles and even weirder window designs. They weren't simple rectangles, more triangular stained pieces overlapping each other in some sort of 'art' display. I prayed I didn't stay long enough before the damn thing made me want to burn the whole thing down. The car pulled up next to several dozen others on the gravel pathway, a long fountain snaking its way down the drive and up the stairs to the door.

Alder helped me out, and I set my expression. It was mission time, time to go with the flow. Taking Alder's offered arm, we eased ourselves up the stairs, a decorative granite with massive pink crystals of feldspar. As we approached the massive glass doors, I spotted Val, painted a dark bronze colour with off-white markings all over his face inside the main hall, he had Lynetlia on his arm the blue asari changing her markings into a more decorative green marking. At least I knew someone was in!

"Good evening sir, madam. Invitations please?" the masked doorman… asari… asked. Alder produced the invitation, our false names on the paper. After checking the datapad, she bowed politely. "Thank you sir, ma'am. Please enjoy the evening," she swept her arm towards the door. We bowed or curtsied, as this pair did for some odd reason, before entering the building. I was so relieved to be inside!

In the bustle of the main hall, I could barely catch a glimpse of the rest of the crew around me, the room was packed. We would be ushered into the ballroom when everyone appeared to have arrived to begin the main festivities, no doubt. Masked asari wandered aimlessly, trays of wine and champagne and other alcoholic beverages balanced in their hands. Alder plucked off a glass of wine for me and for himself. I frowned at the rosé wine, almost gagging. I never agreed with wine but I was more of a red wine drinker myself. A quick sip to prove to everyone around me I wasn't just holding it for show proved to me very dry. I was not impressed already.

Alder was by far a more confident person than I and was easily dragging me into conversations I would have otherwise struggled to begin. Alder was able to hide most of his Indian accent, turning it more American with a slight twang. I was terrible at accents and could only muster a posh Inverness accent. I swore I even recognised a few voices from my time as a merc leader. I prayed I was imagining it. I didn't want to run into those people again.

An hour later the doors to the main hall were parted, enthralled gasps ringing up as the huge room, crystal dance floor, diamond 9 tiered chandelier, marble pillars wrapped in golden ivy and balconies with golden animals roaring as they splashed free from golden liquid the banisters. I admit it. I was slightly impressed. Slightly. I still had to kill this woman but she had interesting tastes at the very least. There was a buffet table heaped with food with clear indications on what was levo and dextro amino. My crew had strict rules; drink only to fit in, eat only to avoid suspicion. I didn't want to risk them getting poisoned.

But my mood soiled when I heard ballroom music play.

It was always bloody ballroom! I despised ballroom dancing! I hovered near Alder on the floor surrounding the dance floor, away from the twirling skirts and fluttering tails from the suits. I spied several of my crew already on the dance floor, some with their chosen partners if they had one, some with random strangers. Hell mend them, they were courageous. I prayed they weren't drunk! I reached up as if to brush some hair from my face before gently tapping the microphone hole 4 times. I waited.

_"Hey Dellion, having fun?"_ Indira's voice giggled in my ear, I tried to mask the scowl as I turned to Alder, my knuckle resting my jaw, pinkie resting on my lip and my thumb just under my ear. He turned to me, understanding. That was the signal I was communicating with the _Starquake_.

"I certainly am, certainly busier than I expected," I responded, speaking to Alder. Alder began speaking, but my attention was in my ear. He could hear what Indira was saying too, no doubt.

_"Oh I know! The Councillor really bombed on the number estimate. We've managed to count at least 143 people already!"_ Indira exclaimed. I smile slightly, but it was taut. That was about 40 more than we expected, and there was definitely at least 200 here. _"No sign of Alea yet, we'll let you know when we do,"_

"Indeed, well, we had best mingle," I replied. Alder glanced to the dance floor before reluctantly offering a hand. Bless him, he loathed dancing.

That was how the next two hours played out. Dancing, talking – lots of gossip, at least I now knew that one of the highest admirals in the Turian army had marriage problems – as well as odd behaviour as people began to get a little more alcohol into their systems. Most people were fine, it was just a small group that seemed determined to try a western style shoot out with champagne bottles. It was… oddly satisfying to see one, confused as he why he couldn't get his cork to free to smacked in the face with it. There was still no sign of Alea though. It had me concerned, very concerned.

Eventually, Alder got pulled away by one of the female crew members to have a catch-up on the dance floor. I wandered over to one of the pillars lining the edge of the room, a decorative table now filled with empty glasses. A lone male leaned against the pillar, shaking his head as he watched the sight before him. His blond hair was interrupted by the black and blue mask covering his eyes. I took a deep breath before sauntering over, leaning on the other side. I heard him snort.

"What a disaster," he commented.

"The bad dancing, the dry wine or the lack of a host?" I joked. A slight grin grew on his face.

"All of the above, on top of tasteless food, terrible dress sense… What was she thinking?" he shook his head as an asari twirled past in some god awful yellow dress. I struggled to understand if he was referring to the asari or Alea. I had to guess.

"Maybe it's a test, whoever can deal with the horrible nature of the whole thing gets to go into the real party later," I snorted. He chuckled.

"In a place this size, I wouldn't doubt that she had 4 test chambers," he turned to me, sapphire blue eyes flitting over me. My body froze for a moment, a flash of blue eyes from Alea's psychosis flaring up. I swallowed and pushed it to the side. I think I saw a scar just graze the corner of his left eye. "Come, I've noticed you taking it easy on your two-left footed partner," a smile slipped free reluctantly.

"That almost sounds like a challenge, sir," I remarked, taking his hand. He smirked.

"Perhaps it was," he hinted. I laughed weakly, following him onto the sparkling dance floor. We began to waltz. It was hard to keep eye contact with him, his eyes were too… critical I suppose.

"Interesting contact lenses," he remarked. I laughed, trying to fight off the tension trying to creep up.

"Darling, if you are going to go to a masquerade you must go the whole way. Where's the fun in stopping at simple masks?" I asked with a coy smile. He snorted a short laugh, grinning widely.

"Not much of a fancy dress man myself, but I praise your passion," he chuckled softly. He twirled me easily, a hand returning to my hip as he guided me around another two dancing couples.

"Well, already I can tell you that you surpass my partner on all fronts of dance," I snorted as we twirled. His grin was almost cheeky.

"Well, it isn't exactly hard," he joked.

"Oh don't tell him that. He tries so hard," I added with a light undertone of sarcasm. His laugh was sharp.

"I'll try not to hurt his feelings," he chuckled as the waltz ended. I heard the beginnings of a foxtrot. "Or yours," he added with a sly smirk. I offered an innocent smile before dragging him forwards three steps and nearly tipping him. He nearly gaped up at me.

"Oh please, do try to keep up," I laughed. He was silent for a moment before he laughed, pulling himself into a more stable position.

I think I spent nearly 2 dances with the man, foxtrot evolving into a jig. He was a very good dancer, he certainly knew where to put his feet and how to predict where I would be going. He was pretty strong too, although he was reasonably bulky, I did feel the muscle under his shoulders and arms. I think we spent the entire time complaining about the party as a whole, how mishandled it appeared to be. The lack of a host also seemed to be a sore point. I'm not sure why he was so eager to meet her, I was just desperate to rip her spine out. He twirled me before dragging me close, dropping me into a low dip. I had to hang onto his neck to stop myself falling backwards.

"Well, the night hasn't been a complete waste of time," he remarked. I laughed lightly a touch, I grinned up at him.

"There is always something to pick the party… up?" my words died, my eyes were fixated into the sea of blue before me. This close to his face, I could see it.

He had circuitry in his eyes.

His expression changed at almost the same time. The smile died and his grip on me tightened. I sucked in a deep breath as we straightened. We stood, rigid on the dance floor, gazing at each other. My legs trembled a touch as I gathered myself. I had come expecting to fight Alea and her mind fuck. The last thing I needed was _another_ Saboteur.

"Well. This is interesting," he began lightly. I offered a stiff smile.

"Oh absolutely. Unfortunate, but interesting," I agreed. His grip on my hand and hip tightened.

"Unfortunate indeed," he nearly echoed, whispering menacingly. I breathed heavily.

"Oh what a wonderful eve!" a voice cried.

The new Saboteur spun around, his grip on me weakening. I immediately ripped myself free, backing away. I caught sight of Mat'al and Val nearby and I shuffled towards them. I pulled my eyes up, spotting Alea on the second floor, overlooking the floor from the balcony. I made a signal behind my back: follow my lead. I quick glance confirmed the hand signal was flying throughout my scattered crew. The crowd waved and weaved, trying to get into a better position to see Alea. My crew took the opportunity and moved behind me, mixed among the crowd near the main entrance side of the hall. A gap had opened up around the new Saboteur as Alea smiled at him. The new Saboteur straightened, frowning severely as he was exposed by the retreating crowd.

"Zufiaurre, good evening," he remarked dryly. Alea smiled, her expression dead.

"Ah, Palalrian, you are proving to be just as pathetic as Nyryntha is. Your Shell should have been under control years ago," Alea remarked. My eyebrows shot up. Wait… Palalrian? But Palalrian was the Enforcer! He wasn't Namacuix? His… his Shell was still in control? I jumped when I heard yelps and curses. I watched people being shoved towards the man as a gap widened around him. About 35 people were shoved forward by the crowd, aliens of all species as they reluctantly huddled around him, offering apologetic looks to him before glaring up at Alea.

"What can I say? It's in our blood," Palalrian offered. Alea snorted venomously.

"It shall not be long now. The Advocacy is floating on the abyss, Keneiloe has already met with her and established as much. She will fall soon. And then you will have failed," Alea cooed. The new Saboteur snarled slightly. My eyes scanned the crowd, noticing several were getting ready to draw weapons. My hand eased down to Paladin at my thigh. "It is unfortunate, Palalrian. You are becoming far too troublesome and are proving to be impossible to control. Even Namacuix tires of having to deal with you,"

"Well, that is an unfortunate problem he will just have to put up with, isn't it?" Palalrian snorted. Guns were drawn then. I whipped mine out the match, to fit in. I couldn't let Alea notice me until we could get someone close to her! The crew followed suit. "So, you've indoctrinated all of these people, hmm?"

"Well, the Advocacy would have had a much easier time controlling the crowd than I, but the technology exists. The indoctrination process will have taken hold by the end of the evening," Alea retorted.

"Oh and your little sidekick didn't help?" Palalrian snarled. Alea paused. I felt my heart leap in my chest. Fuck!

"Sidekick?" Alea echoed. Palalrian laughed harshly.

"I've already discovered the other Saboteur, Zufiaurre. Too afraid to tackle me on your own?" he challenged haughtily. Alea straightened slowly, flicking her eyes around the crowd.

"There is no other Saboteur here… not by my request," Alea murmured. Palalrian's confidence died slightly.

"What? But then… why is…" he began. I glanced up to Alea, watching her eyes flick over the crowd. Her eyes landed on me. Reaper called to Reaper. Her eyes widened. My heart nearly exploded.

"FIRE!" I screeched. A heartbeat was all that stood between my command and the window shattering as several sniper rounds flew into her head, dropping her on the ground. Gunfire roared almost immediately. "Non-lethal! These people aren't fully indoctrinated! They might still be saved!" I cried over the noise as my shields shattered.

I flipped a switch on the Paladin as I dived for cover, turning my bullets into non-lethal electrocution rounds. I heard the screams of people around me and the smoke bombs shattered any hope of a clear shot. I had to punch a salarian in the face that tried to grab me and crack his head against a pillar to knock him out. I fired a few rounds at a group of turians, just in time to see a small band of the team –Mat'al, Phentos and Iona – clamber up the crowd in order to reach the second floor. They made a bee line for Alea, shotguns blazing. I ducked behind the pillar as a bullet soared past, my shields finally back up.

Over the gunfire, I heard a loud squelching sound. Peeking around the pillar, I saw Iona and Mat'al yanking the spine out, Iona pulling Alea, Mat'al on the spine. Phentos provided cover fire. Mat'al ran along the balcony before tossing the spine to Jarlan. He and Una raced out the room with the spine, sprinting towards the inbound shuttles. The trio on the balcony provided a high vantage point as we began to down the temporarily indoctrinated servants.

I poked my head out and threw out an overload at a crowd of asari, the electrocuted aliens twitching as they got caught in the crossfire. They dropped, whether they were alive or dead, I wasn't sure. I heard Val thunder over the noise, demanding the flanks be protected. As someone on the flanks, I took the time to release Mar, letting the drone cause chaos to a group of wild, hopefully temporarily indoctrinated servants. I ducked as a shotgun nearly blasted my eardrums, my ears ringing loudly as I reached up and grabbed someone appearing from over my cover. The poor human didn't stand a chance as I punched his lights out desperately.

It was all over in about 20 minutes. As I re-gathered the crew, my arm stung as the adrenaline wore off. Glancing down, I noted the bullet wound on my upper arm. I had somehow been shot and I didn't even notice… thanks adrenaline! I eased myself out into the open, waiting for the smoke to die. Val was by my side in a heartbeat as Mat'al, Iona and Phentos hopped back down the ground level. I scanned the crew as they emerged, bloodied but alive. I nodded, my earlier dread dying as warm relief spread through my chest. I waved a hand in the air as I began to back everyone back towards the exit.

A bullet bounced off the floor by my feet. My heart leapt to my throat as I whirled around, Paladin pointed.

Palalrian and his 'crew' as I could only guess, were on their feet, weapons free as they fanned out behind him. Palalrian's eyes were trained on me. I narrowed my eyes, the Paladin steady in my grip. I saw some members of his crew shambling to their feet. I wasn't sure how Palalrian managed to escape harm, probably ducked when all hell had broken loose and only a few of his people got caught in the crossfire. I set my jaw, eyebrows knotted together and frown cemented in place.

What to do with him…


	37. Chapter 37

_The Saboteur Sheet and Timeline have been updated for this chapter. Please see profile for the link._

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I pinned my mandibles to my cheeks, eyes scanning as the 36 enemy team eyed outnumbered our puny 15 man team, 18 if you included to snipers but 16 when I remembered Jarlan and Una had run off with Alea's spine. They were slightly more than double than us in terms of numbers. My concern was the new Saboteur, Palalrian. We had only met Commandos up until this point, I don't think Dell's experience of Saren really included much in terms of experience against the more specialist Saboteurs. Saren wasn't even a true Saboteur, according to Saria.

Dell was steady and stubborn, standing a good 7 to 10m in front of us. I had to keep my eyes on the multitude of guns as my ear crackled with activity from the _Starquake_. We didn't have any information on Palalrian, other than he was to police the Saboteurs. We had nothing else to go on, it only irritated me by how little we knew. My heart ached when my mind wandered to what accounted for 'policing'. Keeping Dell safe was my priority, casting a glance over the fanned out crew showed Mat'al was equally as hawk-eyed.

"I take it Zufiaurre had failed too many times?" Palalrian asked lightly. Dell snorted.

"Oh no, personal revenge and a good deed to the galaxy. It was the least I could do for her after she mind fucked me," she responded. Palalrian frowned, eyebrows drawn together, as if her words were unexpected. "But, good sir, I am more curious about you and Alea's little chat. Something about your Reaper not being able to control you?"

"That, little lady, is nothing you should be concerned about," Palalrian responded coldly. Dell laughed harshly.

"Oh, I'm sure it is. But see, the problem is, sir, is that it is my business. I'm curious as to who you are. Care to enlighten me?" Dell asked dryly.

"Ladies first," Palalrian countered.

"I asked first. Besides, chivalry is long, long dead," she seemed to smirk. I could barely see her face from here. The mask didn't help either.

A tense silence impregnated the air. Saboteur staring down Saboteur, Shell to Shell. No Reaper mind games, just one human fighting a monster to another. I understood Dell's plan. If this guy truly was in control, we had a friend on our side. She was testing his borders, seeing how willing he was to trust and how much control he had over his Reaper. Palalrian, or whatever his shell was called, must know Dell was no ordinary Saboteur, he would have tried to shoot her by now surely? There was no real reason for her to go after Alea. And keeping as many people alive as possible? That didn't sound like something a controlled Saboteur would worry about.

Sluggishly, Palalrian raised a hand to his mask, slipping it over his head to drop carelessly on the ground. It clattered loudly, like a bomb going off. I clenched the pistol tighter. He was a scarred bugger, I'd give him that. He had a long scar that ran from just above the end of his left eyebrow, down over the corner of his eye and curled down to stop near his nose. His left ear also looked like it was missing a small chunk of it near the top of it. Whether something bit it off or it was shot off, I didn't know. I thought I saw some scars poking out from under his collar, but it was hard to see. The blond hair flopped over his forehead, leaving his eyes clear. The area around his ears had begun to grey and wear wrinkles flicked out from his nose towards the corners of his mouth. The sapphire blue eyes were hard, determined… no, stubborn.

I nearly leapt through the roof in shock at a sudden clatter. I hunted for the source, finding it in seconds. My stomach plunged.

Dell's Paladin lay on the ground, forgotten.

My eyes zoomed up to Dell, trying to catch her expression. Her hand was limp, her arm barely holding itself up. Her jaw had dropped, gagging on words that refused to form. I couldn't see her eyes, but I could only imagine they were bugged, fixated on the new Saboteur. Palalrian himself diverted his eyes to the fallen pistol, easing his gaze back up as he cautiously studied Dell. His expression was more tentative at this point now. Dell's old gun hand slowly rose to her mask. She slid it backwards, taking the wig off and snagging the elastic that held her hair up. Her hair spilled free in a messy heap of red. She dropped everything and they joined the pistol on the ground, the mask nearly snapped in two.

My eyes were immediately on Palalrian. At first, there was no change. As the second ticked by, his eyes had grown to the size of dishes and his jaw slackened slightly, the pistol lowered until it eventually pointed at the ground. The crew around him shared looks, reluctantly lowering their weapons. We had no idea what to do, how best to approach this situation. Did Dell and Palalrian know each other? Was that why they were suddenly… disarming? I don't think I had seen Dell drop a gun like this… Palalrian breathed heavily, trying to find words. He eventually found them.

"Delly!" he cried, his tone riddled in shock, in relief? He put up the pistol immediately, already jogging across the distance between them. We cast eyes between ourselves, utterly bewildered as we decided whether or not to fire warning shots or not. That confusion only deepened when he flung his arms around her, almost clinging to her. Dell couldn't even speak. "Oh God, oh God I thought they got you, I thought for sure…" he muttered breathlessly, a hand buried in her hair. His grip only tightened. "It's going to be ok, Delly, I won't let them hurt you, dammit, I won't even let them near you! I swear," He pressed his face into the top of her head, taking in and releasing huge lungfuls of air. He pulled back, examining her face. "Oh God, where did this come from?" he ran a thumb over the scar just to the upper right of her left eyebrow that Saria had left behind. After a moment, his eyes widened a touch.

"Delly, look up," he demanded, digging in a pocket. "Delly, look, up," he pressed sternly, bringing out a small torch. "Dammit, Delly, look up!" he snapped. I think she did look up, since he shone the torch in her eyes almost pointing towards the ceiling. He began turning himself around her as he examined something. "You used the override… oh thank God, you used the override!" relief sagged his shoulders as he shoved the torch away. "You're going to be ok, Delly. We'll get you back to the _Constellation_, we'll scramble up the indoctrinated waves and we'll tease them out. Nyryntha won't get you, over my dead fucking body," he cursed. "C'mon. We need to get you out of here, get you somewhere safe," he took her hand, gently pulling her towards his crew.

Dell started stumbling blindly after him.

Panic swelled in my chest like a hurricane in a teacup. What the hell just happened? What the hell was she doing? Who the hell was this guy?! My eyes turned to the fallen Paladin, eyes flinging themselves back to Dell. The crew beside me shuffled, muttering began almost immediately. What were our commands? Dammit, what the hell was going on?!

"Captain!" I cried desperately, riddled in panic. I nearly wept when she jumped, spinning around violently as if electrocuted. Her hand was ripped free from Palalrian. Palalrian stared after her, confused. I swallowed the hard lump in the back of my throat. "Orders?"

Dell blinked rapidly, baffled. Her eyes scanned the crew, eventually finding the Paladin on the floor. She swallowed, slowly turning to face Palalrian. Her gaze eventually returned to the Paladin. I nearly dropped the Tempest in relief when she began to walk back, slowly kneeling down to pick up her fallen gun. She turned it in her hand before pressing the top of the barrel to her nose, breathing deeply. I watched her expression in profile. With each breath, I watched her eyebrows drop, her mouth twisted down and nothing short of pure fury was burning her blood. What, the actual, fuck?!

"Is this some kind of joke?" Dell managed, voice quivering. Palalrian sighed heavily, putting his hands on his hips as he resided himself to whatever was coming next. Dell's expression exploded, whipping around to face Palalrian as she rose and snapped the Paladin straight, pointing it at him. "Is this some kind of sick, fucking joke!?" Palalrian rubbed his eyes and squeezed the bridge of his nose.

"Delly, I really don't want to deal with one of your little strops right now," he sighed.

"Well tough fucking shit!" Dell thundered furiously. "The Reapers have a fucking sense of humour, don't they?! Of all the people the fucking Collectors lifted, it had to be you!" Dell paced. I could almost see smoke rising from her. "I'd rather see Travis than you!" Palalrian snarled, his face twisting violently at even the mere mention of the name.

"Don't you dare compare me to that asshole! He was fucking using you! I'd been telling you for years!" Palalrian growled.

"Oh that's rich coming from the bastard who abandoned me!" Dell snapped viciously. Palalrian sighed, running a hand down his face.

"Dell, I had no choice-" he began.

"No choice?" Dell balked.

"I. Had. No. Choice. The Saboteurs were everywhere! Xawin was the nearest, safest place I could hide you!" Palalrian snapped. The anchors snapped on for Dell as she whirled to face him.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait, wait… what was that about Xawin?" she asked, her anger abated for a time. Palalrian frowned.

"You… weren't referring to Xawin?" he asked slowly. Dell's shoulders rattled as her hackles rose.

"No!" she roared.

"Then what are you referring to?" Palalrian demanded.

"The West Highland Way!" Dell thundered. Palalrian opened his mouth to respond, hands held out at his sides as if to pacify a wild animal. After a few heartbeats, those hands found his hips, he began chewing his lip as if he just realised he was digging a deep, deep hole. I heard his sigh from here. "So… you've abandoned me… twice now?" Dell ogled.

"Delly, I was going to-" Palalrian began.

"TWICE?!" Dell screeched, her finger twitching on the trigger of her Paladin. "Oh well this just keeps getting better and fucking better!" Palalrian growled lightly.

"Delly, for God sake, put the gun down before you hurt yourself!" Palalrian demanded.

"I beg your pardon?! I can fucking defend myself!" Dell snapped. Palalrian raised an eyebrow.

"Delly, you couldn't fight your way out of sodden paper bag," Palalrian remarked dryly. Dell gaped at him, fury tamed by disbelief. She snapped her jaw shut, breathing violently through her nose. She glanced behind her briefly before flicking her gaze forward again.

"Are the shuttles here?" she asked lightly, tone strained.

"They are, yeah," I managed slowly, flabbergasted and what I had just witnessed.

"Good. Send one of them to pick up the snipers. I want everyone back on the _Starquake_ in 15 minutes and I want out of here in 20. Do I make myself clear?" she ordered.

"A-Aye aye," I managed.

"Delly, the only place you are going is to the _Constellation_-" Palalrian began ordering.

"I am a fucking Captain now, Julian! I have my own fucking responsibilities now! No, you can just fuck right off! I am not dealing with you and your backstabbing shit!" Dell snapped, turning on her heel harshly as she stormed towards the door, we filled out in front of her, probably eager to put some space between us and the enraged captain herding us out.

"Captain? You? Delly, you couldn't lead a piece of string across a bloody street!" Palalrian, Julian, whatever his name was, called. Dell put up the Paladin, raising both of her hands as she gave him double one-finger salutes as she exited the building. Julian marched behind her, his crew scrambling to follow. Dell was too furious to respond.

"Delly!" he thundered as we piled onto the shuttles. Dell marched towards the large shuttle hovering nearby.

"Mari, just go, just fucking go!" Dell screeched as she jumped up. The shuttle twitched nervously as Mari pulled the shuttle up.

"Goddam it, Delly! Would you just-" Julian cried before Dell slammed the shuttle door shut.

Mari spun the shuttle around and steered it towards the city, back towards the _Starquake_. I glanced out the window, watching Julian stare at the shuttle before sprinting out of sight. Everyone on the shuttle eyed each other warily, giving Dell nervous glances as she remained standing, arms locked on the ridge of the window as she stared at the passing scenery. No one dared breathed. We waited fretfully as we neared the _Starquake_, the second shuttle struggling to keep pace with us as it finally caught up.

I nearly cheered when Mari finally steered us into the _Starquake_.

Dell immediately cracked the door open, storming towards the elevator. How Mat'al was able to follow her and hover by her side without fear was beyond me. I was barely content with keeping 3 paces behind her. Everyone else had the common sense to wait until Dell had ridden the elevator first. Mat'al and I held no such sense. I flapped the collar of my suit as Dell's fury ignited the temperature in the elevator. She eventually stormed down the hall towards the CIC.

"Is everyone aboard?" she demanded, halting by the Captain's chair. Raisha very carefully lay her datapad down, turning to regard Dell.

"Everyone is on board, Endellion. Blessedly, the smaller shuttles are a little faster than the 20-seater," Raisha replied.

"I want out of here. Now. To the Citadel, to Earth, to Omega, to Tuchunka! Anywhere dammit!" Dell fumed.

"A-Aye, aye, Captain!" Lanster cried, not even bothering with the intercom. I glanced down as something caught my eye. Dell snapped her gaze down as a tub of chocolate was presented to her on a stick. She followed the stick, revealing Gideon and Indira hiding behind one of the consoles of the CR. Dell plucked one of the chocolates from the tub, chomping down on it viciously. After a moment, she took the whole tub and hurled herself into the Captain's chair. Gideon reeled the stick in, trying to determine if it was safe to approach. I flicked the tips of my fingers across my neck. Gideon understood and slowly backed away.

"Bastard," Dell fumed. "They could have taken anyone, anyone! And they took him?! Why him?! To torment me? Oh fuck up, Nyryntha! I don't fucking care if your pissed off that I'm pissed off!" Dell thundered. I swallowed hard. I could only assume Nyryntha was upset that Endellion's rage was dampening any attempt to indoctrinate her… or something. "Are we out of here yet?!"

"A-Almost! J-Just lining up for exit!" Mari called back nervously. Dell gnashed down another two chocolates, hazelnut swirls I presumed, as she fought to either reign in her anger or vent it all.

"Old friend?" Mat'al asked casually. Dell laugh could have cut steel.

"Worse," she muttered. I glanced down as she kept her gaze fixated on the screen on the second floor, towards the nose. Flames licked the side of the _Starquake_ as we punched through the atmosphere and into space. Lanster immediately turned towards the Mass relay.

The _Starquake_ powered on, the rotary disengaging as we prepared for a mass relay jump. I decided it was a good chance to go and get this damn paint off of me. I was relieved I had my own private shower, I didn't have to worry about annoying anyone while trying to get the paint out from my damaged face. Hot water was a life saviour though, despite the fact that areas like my cheeks, above my brow plates and parts of my mandibles were hyper sensitive. I spent a good 2 hours just teasing the paint out from between my plates.

When I eventually emerged from my room, I trudged down towards the elevator, deciding to divert to the labs before seeing if Dell had calmed any. The labs were a massive bustle as people leapt around the room like hyperactive frogs. I tried to avoid the flurry as I strolled up to the third room, spotting Mat'al inside. I reluctantly opened the door and walked in. The shielded chamber at the end of the room held two spines. The left one was Saria's, the right one must be Alea's. I stopped beside Mat'al as I examined the spine.

There was a slight different, despite both being asari spines. Saria's had small barbs at the bottom of each vertebrae, tiny little things. Alea's had a small bump in the middle of the smooth back, it ruined the smoothness of the vertebrae. I had no idea what to make of the whole thing.

"Well, let us hope we can use this to identify what these Saboteurs can do," Mat'al commented. I shook my head lightly.

"After we have had to deal with them, of course," I grumbled. Mat'al chuckled coldly.

"Until we can design a scanner we can use at distance that can show such small differences," he corrected. "Alas, until then, only after the Saboteur is dead. I wonder which is which…"

"Dell seemed convinced Alea was Mental Assault, judging by her behaviour afterwards, I'm inclined to believe that," I muttered. "Saria? Who knows?" I shrugged.

"We are leaning towards Physical Disablement. Those barbs are filled with chemical producing plants can make toxins. Even touching the skin would harm you. Poison, paralyze, burn, irritate… there seems to be a library of different chemicals stored there. We've also theorised that they can produce electrical pulses to stimulate sensory neurons in the nervous system. I don't think Saria used it on Dell beyond irritating Dell's Reaper tech, Saria wanted Dell alive I think,"

"Basically flooding the body with pain, what the hell are these people made from? How advanced are these machines?" I whispered, fixated to the tiny barbs sticking out the back bottoms of the vertebrae. Mat'al shook his head.

"We will never know the answer to that. We can only hope and pray we can best them before they down us," Mat'al shrugged. "We'll continue our studies. I'm curious to see how Alea warps minds,"

"Pheromones, electrical pulses, radio waves… dammit, I'll leave this to you. I'm getting nightmares just thinking about it," I shook my head, turning to leave.

"Dell was also concerned about the 'Tech Incapacitation' types," Mat'al added loudly. I paused by the door, clicking my mandibles. "She is worried they will be able to mess with biotic implants," My back straightened as if whipped by an angry commander during training. Mat'al glanced over his shoulder, his expression blank. "Do be careful," I swallowed hard, pinning my mandibles to my cheeks.

"I'll try," I managed, shakily stepping out from the room. I shuddered once the door shut. My implants used against me… no, oh Spirits please no! I ran a hand down my face as I practically fled the lab, moving swiftly to the CIC.

I was relieved to see Raisha speaking with Dell, who seemed to have taken some time to get herself back into her uniform, still munching away on those chocolates. I coughed lightly as I approached. Dell glanced up, eyebrows still drawn together but at least she didn't look ready to ring a few puppies' necks. Dell turned her eyes to the cockpit, finally releasing a small breath of air.

"I've forwarded my report to the Council, I'm in no mood to deal with sappy eyed Tevos right now," she grumbled. I offered a cocky grin.

"Is anyone?" I asked innocently. Dell snorted, but a slight half smile formed.

"I suppose not," she sighed. "I'm not sure if this is a good day or a bad day now…"

_"Uh… maybe a bad a day?"_ Lanster offered. I frowned slightly. _"Scanners are picking up ship behind us. I did a few manoeuvres just to check. It's definitely following us,"_ Dell grit her teeth, her rage surfacing once more.

"Dammit, Julian! How did he track us? We left ASAP!" she growled. She pushed herself to her feet. "Get us out of here, FTL!" she ordered. We all yelped when the ship rocked, as if struck by a missile. I wagged my arms in the air as Dell clung to the seat. I scanned the cameras, finding nothing, the ship was still just following us. All the _Starquake_ systems were still operational. Nothing hit the shields, nothing damaged the hull. "Lanster!"

_"That wasn't me! I didn't touch anything… oh why is the gyro going crazy! We're not even doing anything!"_ Lanster cried. I grabbed onto a console when the ship rocked again.

Then the lights fluttered.

Dell went very, very still as warning sirens started bleating and people began crying out as whole systems stopped responding. Lanster couldn't even get any controls, the _Starquake_ refused to listen. I watched him trying to bank the _Starquake_ only to have the ship float as if it hadn't heard him. Screens fizzled and pixelated like crazy. Then the most dreadful sound. The sound of the engines throttling back. The engines were now sitting on idle, still giving us power but, from the commotion in the cockpit, the engines were refusing to give more. It was as if the entire ship had been disconnected from its controls.

Then a screen flashed and hovered just before Dell at eye level, a simple line with fluctuating bars peaking above and below it.

"Good evening, Miss Shaik," the male voice greeted with a definite robotic undertone. Dell breathed heavily.

"Marshal," she uttered the word in a deadpan voice.

"Forgive the intrusion, Miss Shaik, but it was necessary to prevent your ship from jumping. I would also advice that you inform your pilot to stop pulling the throttles so hard. He will damage them," Marshal responded chirpily. Dell gnashed her teeth.

"The aid you mentioned on Earth, Marshal… was it Julian per chance?" Dell asked.

"It was, Miss Shaik," Marshal responded.

"And he ordered you to stop me from escaping him at all costs. Correct?" Dell crossed her arms, her tone too light for my liking.

"Correct," Marshal answered. Dell growled.

"What the fuck does he want?!" she demanded.

"Your safety, Miss Shaik. We have been trying to locate you for approximately 1 year and 10 months," Marshal explained.

"Well you've not been trying very hard! Marshal, let us go! Immediately! You can tell Julian he can go fuck himself!" Dell snapped. Marshal was quiet for a time, he cleared his throat.

"He sighs and asks if you are still taking a temper tantrum," Marshal responded. Dell popped her jaw furiously.

"I'm gonna kill him," she promised with a hiss.

"I shall take that as a yes," Marshal confirmed.

_"Captain! We've got incoming! It's a… a… oh… Spirits…"_ Lanster's voice failed. My eyes went to the cameras, scanning madly. I turned to face the rotary behind us. I could barely breathe.

A dreadnaught, at least 3 times the size of the Ascension, was creeped its way closer to us. Height wise, it was about the same as the Ascension but the scanners were estimating it was about 6 or 7km long. It completely blotted out our rear cameras. I could barely see the 5 cruisers that flanked it! The dreadnaught's nose reminded me of an elcor almost, how a head of metal folded under each other until the front piece lay on top. The edges fanned out like a frill. It looked like it had spines running down its back as plates interweaved down the flanks until six sets of short wings interrupted it. Everything below that seemed like a swollen belly. A gaping hole greeted us, the interior only pinpricks of light at this distance as it closed in on us. I had no idea who built that ship, but I didn't want to know.

The _Starquake_ engines surged before the ship banked, turning to fly towards the massive mouth of this beast. Dell was struggling to control her anger as she watched the cameras. Most of the flight crew simply stared at their instruments, passengers themselves. I gagged as watched the incoming dreadnaught and Dell's face.

"W-What do we do?" I stuttered. Dell snorted as she studied the cameras.

"Get the teams ready. Everyone. I want everyone lined up in the teams with their Commanders at the head. I want a Spectre in front of each Commander and Raisha will go out in front," Dell responded. "Julian wants to talk, fine. But he can face my wrath," she hissed.

"What about weapons, armour?" Indira asked. Dell shook her head.

"Won't matter, they'll just take them off us. I'd rather they stay here where they have a higher chance of remaining here than being nicked by him," she grumbled. "Summon the teams! Get them lined up! Now!" she ordered.

"W-What about me?" Gideon pleaded, poking up from behind the CR. Dell didn't even hesitate.

"Engineering. You stay with Lanster, you do not leave him. Do I make myself clear?" she ordered. Gideon swallowed, nodding slowly.

"A-Are you sure about this?" I asked as Dell marched towards the airlock, Raisha shadowing her. I winced as Mat'al summoned everyone through the intercom. "What if he wants to kill us?" Dell laughed harshly.

"He won't kill me. And if he wants to make sure I don't kill him or willingly surrender to my Reaper, he won't harm anyone else," she retorted. She waited in the airlock as we were swallowed by the beast.

The hall quickly became packed. Raisha directed everyone to stand two abreast, one team per row with the next two behind. Marruns, sadly, was in front of me, with Sitoln in front of Mat'al, Rosmeni in front of Shayan and Drutus in front of Indira. Gideon was squashed between Lanster and Arthan. Dell bounced on her toes anxiously as we waited for the ship to dock.

"Welcome to the DSST Constellation, Miss Shaik, and I apologies in advance as to the forced nature of this entire preceding," Marshal greeted as the airlock opened. Dell said nothing, she simply marched forward.

We marched out into the brightly lit dock, towering Spirits knows how high above our heads. I could see frigates docked between us, all various shapes and sizes as if they couldn't get a fleet to match. I took a quick glance behind us as we marched down the dock. I saw about another 4 cruisers docked on the other side, delicately linked nose under tail in some cases. Countless fighters filled the space above the frigates. When we walked off the dock, we stopped to allow Engineering and Intel to line up with us before marching forward. After a short distance, Dell held up a hand. Everyone halted immediately. I could see why.

Before us lay balconies filled to the brim with people. On floors without balconies and only windows, people jammed themselves against them to gain a peek at our entrance. There were thousands of them! Was that why Dell didn't want us armed? Did she suspect we would be horribly outmatched? A large crowd lay before us, lining a way towards an elevator. Most of these people were armed. Oh yes, I was glad we didn't arm ourselves now… although I was sorely missing my armour.

Dell continued a few steps before stopping, eyeing the crowd before her. Her eyes drifted upwards until she saw the blond haired Saboteur, about 14 floors up, He was flanked by an asari, a turian and a krogan, all muttering amongst themselves. Julian was silent, eyes upon Dell as she glowered up at him. I watched Dell suck in a breath, preparing for her mightiest roar yet.

She didn't disappoint.

"JULIAN SHAIK!"


	38. Chapter 38

I couldn't describe the sensation of blood boiling in my system, the utter rage that nearly blotted out all common sense. An age old wound that I had thought long healed was now flooded with salt and blood. Julian stared down at me for a time, hopefully afraid of my severely frayed temper. I watched him breathe deeply before turning away, disappearing out of sight. I glowered. He had better be on his way down or by God I would obliterate him.

Nyryntha almost purred at the thought.

My eyes were drawn to movement on the ground floor. An elevator door pulled open and Julian began striding towards me. Out of his suit, he was wearing a very swanky uniform with 5 bars on his shoulders. It made my 4 seem almost insignificant. The jacket was just past the hips, plain in design with a base of black, red lines curling around the collar to plunge to the waist and arch over his chest to loop down the arms. A light grey flanked his sides. The trousers were smart, red stripes with a band of white between them dived to the feet. I barely noticed the movement behind him as the three other aliens came to a halt a little ways off. Julian eventually came a halt near me, arms resting over his lower back.

"Delly," he greeted. I snorted sourly.

"You are, hands down, the worst fucking brother in history of humanity," I retorted snappishly in a hushed voice. Julian heaved a mighty sigh.

"Delly, I had to make sure you were safe," Julian pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Oh, I'm sure you are. You're just doing it in the worst bloody way possible," I folded my arms across my chest. "And for the record," I raised my voice a touch. "How the hell do I know that it is really you and not Palalrian? How do I know this wasn't part of some trick you and Alea conjured?" Julian blinked in surprise. I frowned severely. "What?"

"That is… surprising observant of you. I wasn't expecting you to be so critical of the situation," he responded. I openly snarled.

"I'm not a fucking idiot, Julian, despite what you might think! I've killed a Saboteur, I've killed tens of people, maybe even a few hundred if you start including all the geth," I stared up at Julian. "I'm not the same person you knew before Xawin," I added more gently. Julian drew his eyebrows in a touch.

"You've killed a Saboteur? Who?" Julian asked, arms unfurling themselves from behind his back.

"Saria T'Spia," I answered. Julian sighed.

"Reaper name, Delly, Reaper name. I don't know the individual Shell names," he clarified. I snorted.

"Xanthe," I grumbled. Julian's eyebrows drew down fully, he shuffled his weight.

"Delly, Xanthe was in a very powerful position. She was almost within the inner circle of C-Sec. How on earth did you manage to kill her without having the entirety of C-Sec after you?" he asked. I coughed, flushing.

"I uh… didn't," I shrugged. Julian tilted his head, trying to figure out what I meant. I scowled. "Look, I didn't spend 2 months running from the Council, Spectres and mercs just to be judged by you!" Julian held up a hand.

"Wait, the Council? Spectres? You had _Spectres_ chasing you?!" Julian exclaimed. "What the hell did you do!?"

"Look, Saria was going to assassinate members of the Council, we had to move, we had no time! She was meeting with the Council when we attacked. When Saria lost her shit and started covering herself in Reaper plates and wires and all that crap, on top of the lovely little conversation we had before then, obviously the Council knew something was up and demanded my arrest. We ran away… well, I was carried, everyone else fled-" I snapped.

"Wait, stop, stop, stop," Julian grabbed my shoulders. He dropped down to my level, making very difficult to avoid his eyes. "What do you mean you were carried?"

"Oh for God sake, my first solo fight with a powerful biotic and you weren't expecting me to get hurt? How else did I get this?" I pointed to the scar next to my eyebrow, shoving him off me. "She cracked my face into a wall! Twice! She broke nearly every rib in my body! I couldn't even see straight by the time I managed to rip her spine out! Yes, I was bloody carried out!" I growled. My anger paused for a time. I noticed Julian had gone very, very pale. "Oh for fuck sake, I'm fine! Jesus, even when the first _Starquake_ crashed I survived that-!" my words were cut short by two finger tips pressed to my lips. Julian had diverted his gaze, struggling to compose himself. I frowned in concern.

"I'll… ask about all of this once the medical is done," he wheezed. I smirked under his fingers. This was really bothering him. He straightened, fidgeting with the cuff of his jacket. "Well, at least we have established that you have been… busy," He coughed, shaking his head. He pulled his shoulders back, finally getting some compositions back. "Alright, please refrain from informing of me of what you have done that will give me a heart attack," he pleaded. I grinned slowly.

"Oh? So you don't want to hear that I was running around geth unarmed and only shield as my first lesson in combat? Or that I got kidnapped by Saren and was on Nazar- Sovereign! Fuck! Anyway! I then had to fight geth on the Citadel, I got captured by C-Sec to be tried for murder on Earth, was 'rescued' by Xanthe and then got lost on Illium all on my lonesome and nearly signed an indentured servant form… oh… oh I know what will give you a heart attack!" I smirked, my heart swelling with joy at Julian's gaping expression. "I was inside the not-as-dead-as-I-thought former Enforcer of a cycle millions of years ago named Cassianus! …He says hi,"

I couldn't continue. Julian's jaw was nearly on the floor, the man had gone snow white and was floundering for words. I howled in laughter, enjoying a small victory against my back stabbing brother. All the anger that had been roaring through my system was now alleviated in his suffering. I clung to my sides as he struggled to close his mouth, unable to even make sounds let alone words. Julian finally closed his mouth.

"I'm wrapping you in a bubble," he answered stubbornly.

"Aww, but then I won't be able to tell you that I bit Alea's nose off," I smirked. "Or that I work for the Council now-"

"Ok, stop right there! What?!" Julian thundered. "You know what. No, I'll ask this later. Wipe that smirk off your face, young lady! Goddam it, Delly, why do you do this me?!" He leaned on his knees.

"You see? This is why you shouldn't abandon me! I get kidnapped by Collectors and do crazy shit that gets me hurt! Wanna see my scars? I got some awesome ones on my hips and back-!"

"Delly!" Julian snapped. "Ok, I get it! You're angry! I get it!" Julian sighed heavily. "No more, not yet. Not until I get you under RIT and a full medical examination. I swear, another word like that I will deck you," My eyes sparkled slightly.

"So… no stories about how I nearly got my insides ripped out by Rachni? Or going toe-to-toe with Geth Primes and krogan?" I asked innocently.

I screeched when he lunged for me, grabbing my arm and effortlessly tossing me over his shoulder, pinning me to the floor with his shoulder as he secured one of my arms. I roared in rage as I struggled in his grip. Christ, he was heavy!

"What the hell have you been eating?! 50 macaroni pies a day!?" I snarled as I flailed under him. Julian grunted as he secure my arms behind my back. Damn, he was made of steel! He reacted to nothing I did! We used to fight as kids but dammit, this was ridiculous!

I heard voices cry out from my crew. I snapped my eyes to them, prepared to whip out the omni-blade to free myself should they be in danger, but that thought flew out of my head when I saw Gideon about 2 strides from us. And I was utterly powerless when, as Gideon went to punch at Julian, Julian just grabbed his fist and hurled him over us, tossing him to the ground. Gideon landed hard and bounced several times not far away. My heart was pounding in my throat. Then Gideon lifted his head and shook it out, glaring furiously towards Julian. Julian spared me a dry look. I snarled. Julian started to stand up, dragging me up with his arm looped under my arms, pinning my arms between his chest and my back. My legs flailed uselessly in the air before me.

"Please tell me that isn't the stray you picked up," Julian grumbled. I gagged slightly.

"That's your nephew!" I snapped. Julian sighed heavily.

"Really?" he asked, unimpressed. He suddenly kicked out, alerting me that Gideon had charged him again. Gideon yelped as he fell forward, his legs vanishing from under him. Julian grabbed his scruff and hauled him up in one arm. Gideon thrashed in his grip.

"Let me go, you asshole!" Gideon cursed.

"Dammit, Gideon, what did I tell you?!" I snarled. Gideon sulked slightly.

"But he is!" he complained. I hung my head. Had I told him too many things for his little skull already?!

"I told you to stay with Lanster!" I growled. Gideon flushed slightly but kept kicking at Julian's arm in vain.

"He was hurting you!" he grunted.

"So…"Julian began slowly. I glowered up at him. "You felt sorry for a kid, adopted him and you can't even control him?" he raised an eyebrow at me. I growled low in my throat.

"It was more complicated than that," I grumbled. Julian kept the eyebrow raised.

Gideon growled as he stopped kicking. He decided to show is anger by spitting on him instead. Julian's reaction was immediate. In a heartbeat he dragged Gideon closer just as he reared his head back. I almost yelped when Gideon cried out as Julian smashed his forehead into Gideon's nose. He tossed Gideon a few inches in the air as the boy held his bleeding nose, grabbing him by the throat. Gideon gagged, one hand on his nose and the other on Julian's arm. Julian regarded him with disdain.

"And this was why my sister never wanted children. She was always terrible at controlling and disciplining them," Julian sighed. I thrashed once more, although Julian hardly seemed affected. "I'm going to explain the situation to you as clearly as I can, boy. You are a little rat my sister picked up somewhere and felt sorry for. As far as I'm concerned, you are no Shaik," Gideon's expression opened into alarm. "A Shaik, at the very least, knows how to behave. Especially towards family. You are in my house now, boy, and fall under my rules. This is no playground and I have no time to deal with a midget who thinks he's Rambo. This is a warship and we are at war. If you ever, for whatever reason, put my sister in danger because of your stupidity, because of your immaturity or your blatant disrespect… I will kill you. Anything that threatens my sister won't be around for very long," Julian threatened. Gideon quivered in his grip. "You want to be on a warship? You want to help your mama fight the big scary Reapers? Here's what you can do. Grow. Up," Julian snarled. I think I heard Gideon whimper, the blood began leaking onto Julian's hand.

"Get the fuck out of my sight, and I don't want to lay eyes on you until you are ready to apologise for being a disrespectful little prick," Julian drew Gideon close, barely inches from his face. "Do I make myself clear?" Gideon managed a shaken nod. Julian's hand tightened slightly. Gideon's eyes bulged out as panic set in. "You've got a voice! Use it! Do you understand!?"

"Y-Yes," Gideon whimpered.

"Yes, what?" Julian hushed menacingly.

"Y-Yes, s-sir," he squeaked, pleading for air. Julian hurled Gideon across the room, the boy landing by the feet of the krogan, turian and asari.

"Get him to RIT. And if he does anything, you have my permission to kick his ass," Julian ordered.

"Aye, aye, Admiral," the krogan smirked, trudging forward to pluck Gideon off the ground. His bulging eyes vanished when the elevator doors shut.

"As if I needed more reasons to hate you," I fumed. Julian snorted.

"And how is it my fault you are so completely abysmal in regards to raising children?" Julian asked. He turned to the turian and asari. "Get the rest of Endellion's crew to RIT. I want a full report by tomorrow,"

"Aye, aye, Admiral," the pair saluted before rounding up several dozen people from crowd below. Julian began walking towards the elevator. I frantically threw my head over my shoulder to look at the crew. They were shuffling, almost ready to break rank as the wave of people descended.

"Keep everyone safe, Raisha!" I cried. The tall krogan snapped her gaze me. "I'll re-join you when I can!" Raisha glanced at the people around her before she saluted. A small weight eased off my shoulders as elevator doors slammed shut behind me. I fought free from Julian's grip, backing away to the far wall. Julian sighed, finally letting the tough exterior drop. His eyebrows curled up slightly.

"Please don't look at me like that, Delly," he pleaded.

"You've kidnapped me, my crew and beat up my son. How else am I going to look at you?" I grumbled.

"Delly, I took one look at the kid and instantly knew he was a wild one. I don't know where you found him, but he needs boundaries," Julian pressed. I snarled slightly.

"He listens to me," I growled.

"Really? Didn't you tell him to stay with this Lanster?" Julian cocked an eyebrow. I bit my tongue, glaring. "Alright, let's try something a bit different. Who does he listen to, without question?" I narrowed my eyes a touch, suspicion rising.

"Mat'al and Raisha, Anthon… one or two of the engineers," I answered slowly.

"And what do they do with him?" Julian asked, eyes glancing up towards a floor display above my head. I snorted.

"Mat'al shoots him every now and then, although he does that to me too," I grumbled. Julian's eyebrows shot up, eyes nearly twice the size of his head. "Air rounds, hurt like hell but harmless otherwise," I sighed. Julian coughed as the elevator dinged. He walked towards me as the wall behind me vanished. He coaxed me out of the elevator, leading me down nearly blinding silver coloured walls.

"Right, so this Mat'al disciplines him. I quite like his style actually," he murmured. "Not so much on you though, you usually responded better to a softer hand," I laughed harshly.

"Oh please, shooting me and throwing me against geth unarmed was how he taught me combat for the very first time. You can thank him for teaching me to defend myself," I snorted.

"I'll… get a report later," Julian rubbed his eyes. "But back to the point at hand. Dell, you need to show him he has boundaries, that he doesn't have free run of the ship, teach him respect. You'd never hit the kid, but there are ways," Julian tapped my shoulder, stopping by a door. I frowned severely at him before shuffling into the room.

The brightly lit room had a bed on one side of the room, a desk perpendicular to that on the far wall and cabinets of machines and drugs on the wall by the door. I did a double-take as I spied an alien on a chair by the table. The short, stumpy creature was wearing a white and red suit, tapping away at the computer before him. I had so, so little experience with these aliens, Volus if I recalled correctly.

"Dr Vennan Har," Julian called. The volus spun his chair around curiously, the red tinted lights for his eyes were bright, his bubble like body wobbling slightly.

"Admiral, good evening! Ah, Miss Earth-clan! Long-time no see! " he greeted, gasping every few words. I floundered slightly.

"We've… met?" I squeaked. The volus tilted his head slightly, turning to Julian.

"As far as I can tell, she has no recollection of anything before Xawin. Her Reaper may have reset her memories," Julian explained.

"Ah, I see. A pity. Well, I assume you are here for Miss Earth-clan, Admiral?" Vennan Har offered. Julian offered a small smile.

"You read my mind. Endellion needs a full medical and RIT," Julian answered. The volus seemed to bob his head.

"Of course, Admiral. Come, Miss Earth-clan, let us take a look at you," The volus hopped off his chair, waddling over to me. I gaped at Julian. Julian shrugged.

"Vennan Har is the most skilled doctor on the ship. You'll be fine," he offered, leaning against a wall. Vennan Har paused for a moment before clearing his throat.

"My apologies, Admiral, but I ask for privacy… unless you wish to see you sister in her underwear?" he said, amused. Julian's face flushed bright red. It tore laughter from me. Julian coughed violently.

"O-Of course. I-Inform me when she is under RIT," Julian ordered weakly before turning to the door.

"Aye, aye, Admiral," Vennan Har chuckled. He waited until the door was secure before he turned to look up at me. "He has not changed at all, has he, Miss Earth-clan?" he shook her head, chuckling away as he guided me to the bed. I rubbed an arm warily.

"He is… harder than I remember," I muttered.

"I do ask that you go easy on him, Miss Earth-clan. He has spent the last 10 years protecting you from the Saboteurs. When you vanished, we began scouring the galaxy for the Saboteurs, believing they had stolen you away," Vennan Har explained, preparing some syringes for blood samples. I was frozen by the bed.

"Wait… 10 years?! H-How long was I awake in this time?" I gagged. Vennan Har seemed to blink at me.

"Ah, well, you were still within the Saboteur Cell for a good 8 years. You were only awake for about 2 years before you disappeared," Vennan Har answered. I gawked at him.

"H-How old am I?!" I squeaked breathlessly.

"Oh, you had your birthday recently, didn't you, Miss Earth-clan? I believe you would be 29 now… yes, you were 25 when you left the Saboteur Cell," Vennan Har shrugged, tottering over to me. "Please, sit down, Miss Earth-clan!" I mutely collapsed on the bed.

I didn't really speak all that much after that. The doctor ran his tests – which also involved stripping which was… embarrassing – and yapped away like we were best friends. I had a cold stone in the pit of stomach, racking my brain frantically for any memory of the 2 years – 2. Years – that I had been here. Nothing turned up, only headaches and confusion. The medical was complete by the time I gave up, the volus had waddled away to collect something else now. I buttoned up my uniform, my chest cold as I considered the years I had lost because of these Reapers.

"Alright, Miss Earth-clan. I'll begin your RIT, now you will be severely disorientated for an hour or two, but you should feel much better by the end of it," Vennan Har totted over, a U-shaped silver band with 3 groves running between the circled ends. I shuffled warily, eyes on the band as he hopped up on his chair, the chair raising him up to my level.

With care, he eased the circular pads at the end of this flat band to my temples, telescoping the back until it was firmly glued in place. The pads pressed down on my temples slightly, just enough to make me wince. He reached to the back, sliding another loop over my head to turn the u-shape into a complete circle. I swallowed as it covered my eyes, plates folding over to secure me in darkness. The band melded into the shape of my nose like clay, creating a slight vice around my head. It was more than a little uncomfortable. I was then instructed to lie down and try to relax. My heart leapt for a second when something clicked behind me, like someone jacking in a cable.

It then began.

It was just a white noise initially, a faint hissing in the ears, only my brain didn't seem to be able to make sense of it, as if the source of the sound wasn't coming from my ears at all. A wave of nausea flushed over me as the hissing increased, evolving into something more akin to electronic crackle. My stomach heaved, whining as my brain desperately tried to figure out what was going on, what to make of these strange signals coming from my senses. Something sour was lapping on my tongue, despite the fact my mouth had been closed since this began. My eyes began to see faint flashes of light and I began to smell the faint scent of oil, maybe even blood.

These weren't external sources though, I realised as another wave of nausea threatened to push me over the edge. This was all inside my head. I leapt out of my skin when an image flashed before my eyes, a red haze with a vague shape of a Reaper. The crackle was shifting into a robotic growl of discontent, of frustration. But any robotic roar was drowned out with a white hiss. My head felt like it was swimming, or at least spinning in a hamster ball controlled by Chaos theory. I wasn't even aware of what side I was lying on now, or what way was up.

The next stage seemed to begin. My skin began tingling, as if I was standing near an electrical charge. A cold sweat broke out, I gasped for air as my body trembled, my mind a train wreck of mixed signals. I gagged, the nausea coming hard with each passing second. Images began flashing before me rapidly, some of my time on Earth before I had been taken, some of my time after Xawin. The most common, however, seemed to be Reaper related; indoctrinated servants bowing to the will of the Reapers, betraying all those around them, mighty cities reduced to rubble by Reapers as they trampled on everything that moved. The sound in my ears deafened me, roaring like a typhoon of white noise and electronic hisses.

I eventually threw up, gasping for air as I shivered. The images were rapid slideshows, the sounds were maddening, the taste on my tongue was copperish, my skin flushed and chilled and tingled and I smelled burning flesh and machine oil. I couldn't stop shaking, I couldn't even think coherently. Was I even still conscious? I didn't even know. I couldn't speak, I couldn't breathe, I couldn't see, I couldn't move! What was happening?! Someone make it stop!

I wasn't sure how long I was in that cocoon of disorientation, but when I thought I had gone mad and nothing was right in the world, the sound began to fade. My body began to feel itself once more, quivering from the stress of the last few… however long it was. I could smell antiseptic, I could almost taste it through the faint blood. The images faded, returning me to darkness. I wheezed on the bed, trembling. I don't know what happened, but I don't know if I wanted to know. Had my body not been so traumatised, the exhaustion would have surely won by now.

"Ah, Admiral, good evening," I heard Vennan Har greet chirpily.

"Doctor," Julian's voice rang. "How is my sister?" I swallowed, desperate for some light.

"I've examined all her tests while the RIT was undertaken. Medically speaking, she as fit as krogan. She passed flawlessly on everything. There is absolutely nothing to fret in that sense. However, her RIT on the other hand…" Vennan Har paused. I heard him sigh. "It was… violent. She began moaning after about 10 minutes, then mumbling about 20 minutes after that. Just before the hour mark, she took a seizure as her voice became extraordinarily electronic. For the next 30 minutes she was either muttering or screaming in dialects scholars could only dream of, some of it normal, others with a strong undertone of robotics. She eventually vomited near the 2 hour mark and has been whimpering for the last 40 minutes while her brain waves stabilised. She was very deep into the indoctrination, Admiral. Had her IPC not been overclocked, I do not think we could bring her back,"

"She will recover, yes?" Julian asked, voice strained.

"Certainly, she would not have calmed had she been too far gone. I recommend the RIT remain in place for the next month, however. The indoctrinating waves have penetrated deeply and it will take time for the brain to reassemble itself normally," Vennan Har responded. I heard Julian sigh.

"Thank God… alright. I'll take her to the living quarters to recover. I doubt she has slept since Zufiaurre," Julian sounded. "Can the blinkers be removed?"

"Certainly, Admiral. I'll forward a full report in the morning," Vennan Har promised. I started when I felt hands on my face. Something clicked and light peeked in from above and below. The top and bottom of the black-out visor folded back and the band was pushed back to the back of the head. I blinked blearily, blinded as I managed to make out the vague shape of Julian before me.

"Come on, Delly. Let's get you to bed," Julian cooed softly, easing me off the bed and into his arms.

I think I fell asleep within seconds. That or I passed out. I'm not sure which.


	39. Chapter 39

_The Fact Sheet has been updated for this chapter. Please see profile for the link._

* * *

For the first time since I arrived in this strange, new time, I awoke headache free. I lay blearily in the unfamiliar bed, staring up the metal blocks on the roof as I awaited the incoming bombardment of pain. The slight pressure around my temples was prominent but was otherwise minimal. I slowly sucked a breath in, trying to determine what had just happened. I had vivid memories of that so called 'RIT' had caused but I couldn't recall the Reaper Nightmare… nothing. I rubbed my eyes with the heels of my hands before I slowly sat up.

The room wasn't huge, there was no office or anything either like I was used to. It looked like a home, not a ship. The walls were half panelled in darkish wood and painted a pale beige above it. The double bed was a little lumpy, but reasonable enough. It sat at the back of the room, in the middle of the back wall. I sighed as I eased myself to my feet, testing my quivering knees. A small, delicate looking silver coloured bedside table had a hologram clock, telling me it was 7:30. I had never thought I would get used to waking up this early.

A wardrobe faced me, on a wall with a small bathroom door at the bottom of it. On the opposite wall behind me, a desk sat with a computer and some photographs. I didn't remember any of them. One of them was me staring up at a camera, sitting in a chair not too dissimilar to my captain's chair on the _Starquake_ and a uniform very similar to Julian's. It must've been taken before Xawin, but I couldn't for the life in me remember. The room had a bare patch of wall covered in pictures of suns, planets, nebulas, ships and God knows what else. Again, collected during my time here.

The bathroom was small and white, which was glaring compared to the softer blue-grey back on the _Starquake_. I didn't spend long in there though, I was desperate to get going. I also refused point blank to wear the black, red and white uniform in the wardrobes. I pulled on my uniform from yesterday, wishing I had a bottle of odour killer to make sure I didn't stink up the place. Once back in the bedroom, I glared at the door that led out of the room. I didn't know what lay behind it, but dammit, I wasn't going to be deterred!

I pushed it open with a touch more force than necessary. I was faced with a room containing a u-shaped bank of sofas, a TV, a kitchen tucked away in the corner and a few other doors that branched away into other rooms beside me. The dark wooden room with warm fawn paint poking through the mishmash of wooden panels decorating the walls like a contemporary artist on acid. The room was empty. I snarled slightly in frustration.

Did it count as abandonment if he left me on a ship I didn't know?

I stormed towards what looked like main doors, large double doors that the bedrooms had lacked. In an instant, I was in a far more military like area. There were still plenty of 'living' things to do, such as a games room across the way through the window, but the hall had lost the homely carpet and wooden walls. I picked a random direction and began stomping down it.

Eventually, I ran across a tall krogan, his bright green crest an eyesore to my growing annoyance. The bright tan skin didn't help. I marched over, shoulders back as I swallowed any apprehension. There was only one question on my tongue…

"Where is my crew?" I demanded as I paused by the lumbering alien. The krogan glanced down to me, piercing yellow eyes narrowing a touch. He snorted.

"No idea, Shaik," he barked. My hackles rattled.

"Then take me to someone who knows," I managed between grit teeth. The krogan growled softly.

"Look, Shaik, you may be the admiral's baby sister but I don't have to do a damn thing for you," he rumbled. I raised a brow.

"Fine, I'll find someone less incompetent then," I snapped. I started walking past him, heat rising off my shoulders. In about 2 seconds, something grabbed the back of my top and slammed into a wall. I grunted in surprise, turning to snarl at the pissed off krogan behind me.

"You've gotten a foul mouth since you buggered off," he snarled. I smirked a touch. Finally, some vent relief!

"Oh? Wanna know what else I've gotten since I buggered off?" I asked innocently. The krogan frowned a touch, trying to catch my meaning. My hand reached for the omni-tool commands.

The krogan cried out as an overload shocked him. I pushed myself off the wall, bringing out the omni-blade. I took a swipe at him as he fell back, the blade barely missing his nose. He fell on his ass as I landed on the ground. I took a few strides forward to tower over him, pointing the blade at him. He floundered below me.

"OK! Time out!" a voice shrieked. We both leapt, turning to find a lime coloured female drell with yellow tinges to some of her scales and pale ochre eyes came sprinting over. She immediately threw herself between the pair of us. "I'm so, so, so sorry about Grennon, he's a bit temperamental. Soldier, you are dismissed. Go lick your wounds!" she ordered. The krogan opened his mouth, although thought better and grumbled as he heaved himself up, sulking down the hall. "Captain Radayah Zehlrun, I'm not sure if you remember me,"

"Sorry, I don't recall anyone on this ship," I answered slowly, taking her offered hand. I glanced back down the hall as the krogan. "I'm trying to locate my crew. Where are they?" The drell, shifted her eyes a touch.

"Ah well, uh… the admiral said-" she began slowly. My temper flared once more.

"Fuck him. My crew. Now," I demanded. The drell sweated slightly.

"Ah, well you would need to ask the admiral-" she started again.

"Then take me to him," I growled in my throat. Radayah raised a finger before she seemed to doubt her ability to calm me. She coughed, shuffling down the hall with me stomping on her heels.

She led me down a maze of corridors and stairs. We eventually reached small travellators that helped us cover the needed ground quicker. The halls were becoming progressively fuller as aliens from all species started to filter through. I was still nearly snapping on the drell's heels but I was getting mildly afraid of getting lost. The metallic walls were bare and anything that would have accounted for entertainment was long behind me. This was definitely a working deck.

We eventually reached the CIC, the room was probably the same size as the _Starquake's_ entire 5th floor. The bright room was tiered in 4 floors, dropping in an oval shape until a large hologram hollow was at the lowest point of the room. Banks of computers circled this hollow until a taller, 5th tier at the back of the room which had a small bank of computers facing the rear of the room. Julian was seated there, staring a dozen screens before him with the rest of the room before him. The noise in this CIC was… well, it reminded me of the Kinlochleven buzz. It was just constant white noise.

I ignored the drell as I stormed towards the set of stairs that led up to the 5th tier. Julian hadn't noticed me, transfixed by what was before him. I noticed a turian guard at the base of the steps, a datapad in hand. He raised his hawk coloured eyes as I approached. I gave him a heated glare, keeping eye contact with him as I passed him. He glanced to the stairs but seemed to have the sense to let me pass. I clambered up the stairs. I turned to Julian, the blond man frowning a touch at a database before him. He didn't even look up.

"Do we have any reports on Elcor Saboteurs?" he asked. I snorted sourly.

"No, but how does a pissed off sister sound?" I asked haughtily. Julian closed his eyes heavily. With great effort, he spun his chair the 90 degrees needed to see me. I folded my arms over my chest.

"Delly, good morning," he greeted. "And to what has put you in such a sour mood… I also thought I had left out fresh clothes too," he frowned a touch.

"Oh, where to start… Firstly, my crew. I want to see them. Secondly, I am not wearing your uniform. I have my own and I am sticking to it," I growled. Julian blinked slowly, his expression almost concerned. I frowned a touch. "What?" Julian glanced to the CIC before he pushed himself up. He turned to the back of the room, towards a door. He held it open. I eyed him warily before slowly approaching the room.

The room had a small, oval table with enough space to seat about 20 people. Hologram screens hovered over the walls, blank as they waited for data. I treaded softly, eyes on Julian as he followed me in, closing the door. He took a deep breath in, eyebrows beginning to knot together.

"You have been doing a poor job of shielding those spines, Delly," Julian opened. I drew my eyebrows together, trying to read his expression.

"What makes you say that?" I asked slowly. Julian tapped on a screen on the wall bringing up more screens. Eventually, images of my crew appeared. I pulled my shoulders back, hackles shaking.

"Because, Delly, one member of your science team was completely indoctrinated," Julian snorted. "He seemed to realise that he was caught and severely injured 5 people, nearly killing 2 of them. The rest of your science team, if what we pulled from your servers is correct, were either closer to the point of no return than you or were about the same level as you. The indoctrinated servant has already been put down,"

My mind was numb. We shielded Saria's spine with every piece of new tech the Council could give us! … or… was it the time before then? No, no we only had the spine 2 months before we crashed, it takes months to indoctrinate! …oh God, how many people had been indoctrinated in the 6 months it was off the _Starquake_?! And… w-who had been indoctrinated? How long? We noticed nothing! No one mentioned headaches or dreams!

"W-Who?" I asked weakly. Julian's strict expression faltered for a heartbeat. He cleared his throat.

"A Saldan Liseol, salari-" Julian began, reading off the screen.

"I know who he is!" I snapped, my voice snagging in my throat. Saldan… Saldan was one of the few people who had been in my original crew… I rubbed my eyes, quivering when I felt moisture. Dammit, we shielded as best as we could! I was so sure of it… "How long?" I nearly whimpered.

"We're not sure. At least a month or so," Julian responded. My shoulders rattled. That long? I hadn't noticed an indoctrinated servant on my ship… for a month? I wasn't sure what was more terrifying; that I hadn't noticed or what he could have done… had done. I rubbed my neck, trying desperately to keep the bottle of emotion from swelling up. A month and no one said a thing, 6 months and no one had mentioned headaches or dreams or anything unusual, despite the repeated warnings I drilled into everyone…

"I want to see my crew," I told him.

"Delly, until we have verified that everyone else is clean, I am not letting you near them," Julian crossed his arms stubbornly.

"Julian, I need to see them," I pleaded, my eyes beginning to sting. I had failed Saldan… I didn't protect him. I should have put measures in place to keep the people away from the spines. Maybe have moved them elsewhere… but we had to study it! Where could we put them? Maybe a rotation? What was Saldan's job within the science team exactly? Dammit, I had too many questions

"Absolutely not," Julian reiterated. "They're dangerous, I am not letting you-"

"Dammit, Julian, I want to see my fucking family! They're the only fucking thing I had!" I snapped, a small bubble bursting in my throat. I viciously wiped the tear away, eyes diverted to the door. "I need to see them. Now more than ever," I tried to swallow the hard lump in my throat, but it seemed super glued. I finally turned to Julian. His expression had lost the hardness from earlier. Maybe he was beginning to understand… maybe he just felt sorry for his teary eyed sister. I didn't know. He sighed slowly.

"Fine. Fine, I'll let you see them," he submitted. The tension in my shoulders eased a touch.

"Good. Take me to them. Now," I tried to order, but my voice was about as hard as melted butter. Julian trudged out of the room, casting glances over his shoulder to me, as if wishing I would change my mind. I set my jaw whenever he glanced. I would either hear a tongue clucking or a sigh.

He led me back into the depths of this colossal ship, almost retracing my earlier steps. He took me down a few extra floors and the crush of the people around me eased. When we reached the deck with my crew on it, I noticed the guards had jumped in number, a pair at almost every corner, patrolling. I frowned severely as Julian led me down halls with windows peeking into the living quarters within. Most had a few members of Julian's crew. Eventually, I heard a hum of several dozen voices. Unhappy voices. The door outside my crew's room had 8 guards at it. They saluted when the spotted Julian.

"How is the situation?" Julian asked over the discontented hum.

"A bit rowdy, Admiral, but they aren't smashing the place up… too badly," the turian clicked his mandibles. Julian sighed.

"Then let's hope my sister can calm them down for a time," Julian tapped on the keypad by the door. Eventually the doors opened. The hum silenced almost immediately. I eagerly followed Julian in.

The room itself was large with several doors branching off halls in the back, probably to bedrooms. The room here had a few couches and chairs, one TV on the left wall and 2 small kitchen areas for dextro and levo-amino acid aliens. My crew were scattered around the room, some sitting on the counters of the kitchen, others on the sofa and chairs, a few even on the floors and tables at the back of the right side of the room. They all had the same silver coloured bands on their heads as me. Their initial expressions were suspicious upon seeing Julian. When I finally poked out beside him, their expression's brightened a touch. Most jumped to their feet and saluted. Julian was silent.

"As you were," I ordered. The crew settled down, looking between Julian and me. I sucked in a deep breath, my eyes automatically hunting for Saldan, the black and red salarian was not to be found, however. "I'll speak to you all momentarily, however I need to speak to the science team in private," I glanced to Julian as I strode forward. I side-stepped his reaching him. "Commander Delern as well," I added, catching the silver speckled navy eyes tracking my progress.

Mat'al's eyes narrowed a touch before he pushed himself off the pillar near the kitchen to follow me. The 9 remaining members of the science team followed in behind, muttering quietly as I opened a random door into a 10 person bedroom. The bunks were neatly lined up on the left side with a scattering of lockers on the right. There wasn't much else in here other than a table or two. I strode to the back of the room before turning to face the crew.

"I've only got one question for you all," I began, struggling to control the swell of emotions raging in my chest. "Have any of you, in the past few months, had strange dreams, headaches or any other strange phenomena?" They shifted their eyes to each other, trying to communicate silently. I grit my teeth.

"No, Captain," Hagan responded, the teal eyed, red salarian rubbed one of his yellow speckled eyelids.

"Really?" I asked, my voice peaking slightly. "So would you like to explain to me why Saldan was indoctrinated and I had no prior knowledge to any issues?" I would have said they were dumfounded, judging by the dropped jaws and wide eyes. Mat'al simply shut his eyes and squeezed them. I struggled to control my breathing, fury quickly melding with grief. "So I will ask again. Have any of you had any strange dreams or headaches?!" There was a tense silence.

"W-we didn't want to worry you," Marta swallowed.

"So you have," I concluded. A reluctant nod followed a slight pause. "You never told me. You never told me!? How the hell am I meant to protect you people if you don't tell me you're being indoctrinated?!" I screeched.

"Y-You were under a great deal of stress-" Lynetlia tried, the pale asari rubbing her arms.

"Stress? Stress?! Saldan is dead because you people didn't tell me you were experiencing indoctrination! How the fuck is that less stressful than me jumping on the Council's ass to develop better shielding?! Or putting you guys on rotation so you get a month or so away from the spine?! Do you realise that that spine was on the Citadel was 6 months using the same shielding technology we are? Think of how many indoctrinated servants there are in the Citadel! And I haven't been able to warn the Council!" I thundered emotionally, tears swelling.

I paced the tiny space I had, heels of my hand buried into my eye sockets. I gagged on the tears, trying to breathe through it all. The science team was still, barely even shuffling as I paced myself into some sort of calm. I eventually stopped, dragging a deep breath in.

"Alright. In the future, I need you to tell me when weird shit is going down. Alright?" I pleaded. "I understand you were trying to take pressure off of me but I will not allow you to put yourself in danger for a little bit of stress. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Captain," the team muttered. I nodded, tilting my head towards the door. They slunk out of the room, looking more sheepish than worried, which scratched me in the wrong way. I followed them out, back into the main room. A pin drop could have been heard.

"How thin are the walls?" I asked, walking forward until I was between the team and Julian.

"Thin enough," Rosmani commented. "We heard you screeching quite clearly,"

"Then I won't have to repeat myself them, will I?" I grumbled. "Any weird shit, you tell me immediately. If I find out you have been putting yourself and everyone around you in danger, I swear to God, I will kick your face in. Kapeesh?"

"Aye, aye, Captain," the room rumbled. I crossed the room them, towards the kitchen. Gideon was perched on the counter, almost glued to Val's side. He glanced up as I approached. He had a piece of medical tape over his nose. I just hugged him. I could feel Julian's eyes burning into my back. I grit my teeth slightly.

"Gid, I really, really need you listen to me," I whispered urgently. Gideon gazed up at me with wide eyes. "I need you to grow up a bit and be on your best behaviour," He jumped slightly, startled as his mouth floundered slightly. "Gideon, we aren't on the _Starquake_ now. I cannot protect you here. Only you can. If you start acting up, I'm going to lose whatever leverage I have here. You reflect on me. If you start annoying everyone, I'll get the blame for failing to parent you properly," I pressed.

"But you are-" Gideon whimpered. I shook my head.

"Gideon, they don't care. They don't care about the back story, they don't care about how long I've had you. It doesn't matter because I should be able to get you to do as you are told. You don't want to know the skinning I got after your little show in the docks yesterday," I emphasised. Gideon's expression dropped. "This is a real warship, Gid. They will not take any crap from anyone. And I really, really need you to not embarrass me here. I'm trying to get Julian to let us go but if he thinks I can't handle you he's going to think I can't handle a crew. We'll be stuck. Do you understand?" I asked. Gideon swallowed, glancing to Julian.

"B-But I want to help," he muttered.

"Then ask politely. And if they don't give you anything, accept it and move on. I don't want to hear you took a tantrum because someone told you to go away. And please, for the love of God, stay with the crew. Don't fight anyone, don't back talk, don't do anything to annoy someone. Am I clear?" Gideon quaked under my hands. He eventually nodded. "Good. Now, look after Val, you know what he's like," I grinned. Gideon managed a weak smile. I turned to Val then, ignoring his scowl at my comment. I hugged him tight. "Keep him safe," I hushed.

"You got it," he whispered. I patted his shoulder firmly. I eventually found the strength to turn away and walk to Raisha, hugging her as tight as I could.

"Keep everyone safe, Raisha. Anything happens, tell me as soon as you can," I pleaded.

"Of course, Endellion. Do not fret, we will be fine. Just worry about yourself for now," she assured. I nodded slightly before parting from her, sucking in a deep breath as I charged towards Julian, hardening my expression.

"I want to talk Saboteurs, Julian," I demanded. Julian raised a brow.

"Delly, the only thing you are going to do is go back to your quarters and rest. Have you even eaten today yet? And please change into some fresh clothes. I dread to think what mum would say if she thought I wasn't talking care of you," Julian rumbled.

"Then get me my clothes off the _Starquake_. I will not wear your uniform! Over my dead body!" I snapped. Julian rubbed his eyes with a hand.

"Will you wear non-uniformed clothes?" he asked, exhausted.

"Sure, but I want captain stripes on them," I retorted.

"Oh for fuck sake!" Julian groaned, arms flopping to his sides. I smirked at him. "Delly, you are not a captain," I laughed harshly.

"Julian, I've been a captain for about a year and 3 months. If you honestly think I'm going to sit here and not wear those bloody stripes after being strong armed into the position to begin with and am now just finally getting used to it, you can think again!" I crossed my arms stubbornly. Julian sighed through his nose.

"Fine, fine! I'll have someone raid your wardrobe on the ship," Julian conceded.

"You're going to let someone go through my underwear drawers?!" I gaped. Julian managed a croak before he stared at me flatly. I smirked at the sniggers evolving around me.

"Now you're just being difficult. Out, now," he demanded. "I am more than happy to drag your ass back to your quarters," I raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not though," I retorted cheekily.

"Fucking hell!" Julian snapped as he stormed over to me. "If I ever find out who put this bloody temper in you, I'm gonna kill them," he grabbed my scruff and pushed me forward. I snarled up at him. I flailed in his grip. Damn, he had a good hold! It was then an idea came into my head…

"SECURITY!" I cried. I felt my omni-tool vibrate. In about 2 seconds, I heard Julian screech and a loud metallic thunk rang out behind me. I was freed from his grip seconds before a thud. I turned to face Julian on the deck, struggling to deal with Mar. I giggled at my drone's furious beeps.

"What the fuck is this?!" Julian demanded, grunting under the strain to stop Mar from crashing headlong into him. I smirked.

"Julie, this is Marshal. Marshal, this is your dinner," I introduced teasingly. The drone beeped rapidly and Julian struggled more. I glanced to the open door, to the sniggering guards outside. I grinned slowly. "Ok, thank you, bye!" I cried as I charged out the door. Turning down one of the halls, the guards yelped in surprise. Julian roared in rage.

"Endellion Shaik! I'm going to fucking kill you!" Julian thundered. After a few seconds, I heard Julian run out the door. "Dammit, Marshal! Secure the doors! Corner her!" he cried. He nearly squealed when my drone screeched up to him. "Fuck off, drone! I wasn't talking to you!"

I giggled gleefully as every door I ran past began locking, the door ahead of me turning red as well.


	40. Chapter 40

"I'm going to fucking kill you, I swear!" Uncle Julian thundered. "If I was our father, I would seriously crack you over the ass!"

"Kinky!" mum cheered. Uncle Julian's roar of rage echoed down the halls. Cops was nearly dying from laughter, slapping his hand on his thigh. He clicked his mandibles smugly.

"3 weeks and she can still wind him up without even trying," he chuckled. "Oh I bet he wished he had never taken her back on board," he grinned. I flicked a smile, hugging my knees.

"She's only doing it because I fucked up," I grumbled.

"Language," Cops reminded. I made a sound in my throat. "Gideon, you're getting used to taking orders. Hell, I remember what that was like. Remember when Dell stormed onto that Reaper corpse? My fault," Cops sighed. "I really should have just shut up and did what I was told…"

"Yeah… I should've just walked away," I muttered. "Then mum wouldn't be distracting Uncle Julian so much,"

"Oh, you're actually calling him that now?" Cops chuckled. I frowned up at him. "I know, I know. I remember your little talk. Just think of it this way, Gideon. You've gotten far less scolding this week than you have in your entire life. You've only been scolded by Julian once and by that pain the ass asari you just flipped off. You're getting better,"

"Not fast enough though," I sighed. "Uncle Julian was yelling at her yesterday," Cops snorted.

"He's always yelling at her," he answered sourly. "You haven't seen him when Dell's trying to get training. 'What are you doing, Delly? Get off the mat' or 'Hit my sister again and I'll castrate you' is another personal favourite. And then the two of them start screaming at each other and no more training happens. It's like he plans it,"

"He probably does," I finally released my knees, sighing. I winced at the screeching as the pair ran circles around each other. "Do you think Flash would let help me with the other engineers?" Val flicked a smile.

"Go and ask. We could be here for some time," Cops sighed, turning to the hall just as mum sprinted past with Uncle Julian hot on her heels.

"I swear, I'll never get any work done with you here!" Uncle Julian roared.

"Then maybe you shouldn't have abandoned me then kidnapped me! Honestly!" Mum snapped back. I flicked a small smile when Uncle Julian screeched. The resulting crash and screaming told me mum had been caught. I sighed softly as I left the safety of Cops' side and shoved my hands in my pockets.

We had been stuck on the Constellation for 3 weeks now with no end in sight. The _Starquake_ was still being put back together after being stripped down in the search for any potential Reaper threat. From what I overhead mum say to Ray and the other commanders, they had found some. Lots of it. No one but Uncle Julian's people were allowed near the _Starquake_, not until we got these bands off our heads. Even then, Uncle Julian was doing everything in his power to keep mum here, despite how much they fight.

We had been demanding answers about the Saboteurs, but everyone's lips were sealed. We had tried asking how many they were, how widespread they were, what their weaknesses were, their talents, anything! Silence was all we got. That didn't look to be changing any time soon either. Mum had been working her ass off trying to get anything. Julian always found a way to bat her to the side.

My time here hadn't exactly been easy either. Within the first few days, I had to watch mum's face turn brilliant red while Uncle Julian dug into her about my behaviour. I think she cried in private as well at times. I didn't want to be an embarrassment to her, so I had been trying my damnest to keep my mouth shut and just do what I was told. It was so hard though! I wanted to defend myself, I wanted to show them I wasn't some kid but… but it just never worked. Mum was getting yelled at less, which was an improvement I suppose... Even calling Uncle Julian 'uncle' seemed to improve his mood a little. A sign of respect, I assumed. I knew I still had a long way to go, but maybe I could actually be a valuable asset to the team… maybe.

"What are you doing here, kid?" a brash voice asked. I jumped out of my daze, blinking up a quick tempered quarian in a teal coloured mask. It wasn't Flash but… well, this quarian was one of the head engineers, if I remembered. I coughed slightly as I took in the surroundings, finding myself on the docks with the other frigates, fighters and cruisers.

"I uh… wondered if I could help out a little," I asked. The quarian seemed to raise a brow. "I have a little bit of engineering work. I-I used to go into the vents on the _Starquake_," I shrugged, biting my cheek to keep my tone meek. The quarian glanced to the engineers crawling all over all the ships, the rear of the docks was a warzone of pieces and plate metal. The quarian glanced back to me for a moment before looking at the pipe he was busy sealing in his hands.

"Actually, yeah, yeah there is something you could do," he dusted his hands off. I perked. Being meek actually worked?! "Engineers are creatures of habit and laziness as you probably already know," he picked up a plastic tub filled with bolts, passing it to me. I blinked at it. "I keep going to part catalogue only to see the tray I need is missing. Turns out someone was too lazy to put it back. Hell, even people who just used the part go to the catalogue only to realise they still have what they need. Go up and down the dock and ask if they have any part trays they're finished with. Return them to the catalogue in their correct place," the quarian stressed.

"I-Is everything in Galactic Standard?" I asked. The quarian grinned.

"You have been working in engineering before… yeah, everything's in Galactic Standard, no weird ass krogan style here," he chuckled. I sagged my shoulders in relief.

"Ok… yeah, I can do that," I answered. A job! Finally, I could be useful! Would this prove to Uncle Julian that mum wasn't doing a bad job?

"Good, get to it then," the quarian picked up the pipe, already picking up a sealant that stank of tar. I carefully meandered my way around the carnage and people to one of the massive doors at the back of the dock.

The room was filled with shelves and shelves of parts; screws, washers, bolts, nuts, screw bits, spanners… it was the small part catalogue here from the looks of things. I looked to the code on the tray before hiking down the shelves until I reached SC. From there, it was just finding where 78 went. I had to use a stepladder to get up to it though. I double checked the numbers just to make sure. I needed need any bad rep or reasons to kick me to the side again…

I ran up and down the dock, ducking between the engineers as they repaired parts that could be fixed without having to be inside the actual ships themselves. It gave me time as well to actually study the ships in detail.

The frigates were all relatively sleek looking ships, all looked like they had been modified from other ships though. I swore a few of them looked turian, namely the _Ursa_, the _Hydrus_ and the _Corvus_. The only difference was the wings weren't so pronounced. They were tighter to the body and the overall shape was a little more rounded. On top of that, the engines were more Alliance based; 4 engines mounted on separate tail fins. The _Pegasus_ and _Lyra_ looked more asari in style with their dark skin, the large oval shaped gun on the nose trident shaped engines at the rear. Finally, the_ Phoenix_, _Indus_ and _Orion_ looked like Alliance frigates, although the _Orion_ was more akin to the Normandy-class, although much bigger and with the nearside engines fixed with long, narrow wings with the more movable engines attached and the ends. It looked a bit like the old style Concords. The _Orion_ was the largest, the _Corvus_ was the smallest.

The _Constellation_ could hold 10 frigates, countless fighters and 5 cruisers, 6 if it didn't have so many fighters. 4 of them were in dock just now, the _Draco_, the _Cassiopeia_, the _Andromeda_ and the _Carina_. The others; the _Centaurus_ (also the largest), the _Hercules_, the _Eridanus_, the _Cepheus_, the _Vulpecula_ and the _Musca_ were all flying alongside the _Constellation_ as backup. The _Centaurus_, _Draco_, _Cassiopeia_ and _Carina_ were all human style cruisers with modified guns that could rotate on the top of them. Then the _Andromeda_ and _Hercules_ were turian style with tighter packed wings and they also had a double nose with a gap between for a gun. There was only 1 asari style, the _Vulpecula_. The only real difference between the frigate and cruiser was the cruiser had a bottom spike and a more layered, flared roof, like a layered fan. We had some Salarian style cruisers too, the _Eridanus_, _Cepheus_ and the _Musca_. These bullet shaped cruisers were smooth with a double tail flaring at the back and round engines similar to the frigate Sitoln had. The fighters were just a mishmash of everything.

I ran up and down the deck for about 3 hours, nearly falling flat on my face more times than I was willing to count. I think I ended up putting the same tray of washers back about 15 times by this time. I think I was going a good job though, one of the engineers gave me a bottle of juice after I tracked down a box of 4mm bolts for him. I'll admit, I liked the praise. It wasn't something I got a lot of before I met mum. And to get it from strangers… well, it beat getting my ass handed to me by thugs as I tried to survive.

I yelped when I tipped over something, landing on my chest with a crunch. I bit my lip so hard it bled.

"You alright, kiddo?" a turian called.

"Y-yeah! J-Just tripped over a bin. D-Dunno where it came from!" I stammered back, heaving myself to my feet.

"Ah, those came down from Development to be incinerated. Should've warned ya," he explained.

I offered a small smile as I turned to the upheaved rubbish. It was filled with old data discs and computer wires and stuff. I plucked up each drive, tossing it back in the bucket until I reached a thin stick with an orange, arrow shaped omni-chip in it. I tilted my head to the side. This...didn't match the rest of the stuff I just picked up. Development didn't make anything onto omni-chips until they were finished and working… it was too expensive to just throw these away! T-That's what Flash told me, what everyone in Intel told me. So why were they throwing away one now? I turned it over, spotting some writing.

K.A.L.A

I frowned a touch, now more curious than ever. What was a K.A.L.A? Was it some sort of database with Saboteurs on it? Was that why they wanted it destroyed? But then why would they destroy… oh, this was getting me nowhere! I glanced around the room before shoving the stick in my pocket and finished cleaning up the rest of the tipped over bucket. I dusted myself off as I picked myself up. I picked up one last tray before returning to the catalogue. My curiosity couldn't be sated. I had to track down that quarian from before. I found him teamed up with a salarian to rivet two places together.

"Um, h-hi," I stumbled. The quarian glanced down for a moment.

"Sorry, kid, I've got nothing to give back to the catalogue," he grunted. I coughed.

"A-actually, I think I should head back upstairs. I-I think I've procrastinated enough," I offered a sheepish smile. The salarian laughed.

"Trying to skip on your homework, eh? Never worked for me," the salarians shook his head.

"Alright, thanks for the help kid. If you ever feel like procrastinating again, you know where to come. It's good to have someone chase after the parts you need," the quarian added, distracted.

"T-Thank you. Have a good day!" I called as I turned.

"You too," the pair answered back.

I ducked into the elevator to head up to the living quarters, near the rear on the top 6 floors. I kept my hands out of my pockets, desperate not to attract attention to my little… would it be classed a theft? I chewed my lip. I hope not… I mean, if it was nothing, I would toss it in the incinerator myself. I just had to make sure there was no information mum could use on it…

It took ages to get to my floor, even longer the hike the 2km to my room. One good thing about the Constellation is that you'll never get fat. You just had too much walking to do. I jumped into the room Julian gave my mum, slinking into the spare room that was mine. Uncle Julian didn't let me sleep in mum's room, so I had been trying to get used to sleeping in a strange, empty room myself. It wasn't… easy. I had been stabbed a few times in the past while I slept, it was always better to sleep with other people… I shook my head hard as went over to the desk, dragging out the stick with the chip in it.

I initially tried to load it up on my omni-tool, but after everything had been loaded, I had been presented with a warning telling me 'Not enough processing power'. I frowned slightly, deciding to try the main computer. I turned off the server connection and pulled the network wire out just to make sure Marshal couldn't see anything. Although the cameras were… concerning. My head would cover most of the screen though, so I took a small comfort in that.

The computer barely had enough processing power to even run this program. I chewed my lip slightly before digging into one of my drawers. Over the past few weeks, Flash had been showing me how to do some computer related repairs after he noticed I was starting to really get into hacking. I had been collecting broken omni-tools and teasing apart their core components. Now I had a small collection of processors and RAM to help me out.

I took my original omni-tool and began removing the plates. I had to look up a quick blueprint for wiring up several small processors to work together though, that took about an hour. Before long after that had been sorted, I was carefully soldering the cables together to join up the processors with each other. It wasn't particularly hard, Flash had shown me how to follow blueprints and solder. He made me solder for 5 hour straight one day to help me learn a steady hand. With about 12 functional omni-tool processors hooked up, I managed to make it communicate with the desktop PC. I had to try to sync the PC processor with the omni-tools. As I booting up the program, I beamed when I noticed that the tutorial I was using on the extranet actually worked. Damn, this was a really useful site! It told me everything I needed to know!

I was greeted with a screen that simply said 'K.A.L.A' initially. After waiting for my cruddy processing setup to calculate the next step, it eventually came up with a simple screen with some text and a few windows down the side. After a moment, text began to appear on the screen. Scrolling lazily like someone typing.

"Good afternoon, Sir Shaik. My moral programming is currently at 42%. How may I be of assistance?" the text said. I frowned a touch. Was this some kind of… VI? Was that why it needed so much processing power? Although…

"Moral programming? Why would you need that?" I muttered. VI's didn't need morals, did they? I folded my arms as I leaned back, clucking my tongue. I jumped when text began scrolling again.

"My programming must be complete in order for me to behave in a correct and acceptable manner. Without it, I would be perceived as rogue," the screen said. I frowned even more. Was this… a moral game or something?

"Alright, give me an example and I'll try to help you out," I called, testing to see if it was the microphone that set if off. Sure enough, after a minute or so, more text began scrolling.

"I am unclear as to what you mean, Sir Shaik," the text said. I raised an eyebrow slightly. Well, the microphone was definitely on…

"Well… you don't need to call me sir, I'm not my uncle. I'm just Gideon. And um… I was asking for an example of a situation where you would need morals like say… say you saw a kid with a lollipop. You really, really want it. What do you do?" I shrugged. There was a moment as the processors whirled to life. I eyed my wiring warily.

"A lollipop is a sugary treat given to children, also for the entertainment of adults. As I have no need for food or taste, I fail to see why I would want this lollipop," the screen responded. I gaped.

"It was just an example!" I snapped.

"A sub-par example," the text said, although one of the small screens down the side changed to 'Amused'. I blinked at it before looking to the text.

"You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?" I grumbled.

"Maaaaaybe," was the response.

"Alright, ask me a question then!" I folded my arms. The processors once again roared to life, the cooling fans working overtime.

"What is the 27th digit of pi?" the screen asked. I floundered, my jaw was nearly on my lap.

"I-I don't know! Um… the square root of your terrible questions?" I grumbled.

"Incorrect," the program responded, the emotion changing to 'Highly Amused'. "That would 'pure' to the power of 'awesome'," I seethed, restraining the need to scream.

"Are you always like this?" I snapped. "I swear, if I didn't have the window on the side, I wouldn't know you were joking,"

"Ah, my apologies, I shall remedy that," the program responded. After a heartbeat, the emotion window vanished. I gagged.

"Don't take it away! Do you have any idea how hard it is to read emotion on text?!" I exclaimed.

"It isn't that difficult! /s" the screen said.

I think that was when I realised this wasn't some simple VI with an attitude problem… I calmed myself down, looking over the screen for a moment, to the processors working overtime to keep up with the demands of this program. I shuffled my weight, turning to the screen for a moment before setting my jaw. This wasn't a VI… this wasn't a game at all!

"You're an AI," I concluded. The processors ticked over once more.

"Correct. I am KALA, programmed by Sir Shaik to serve as the Constellation Fleet AI, tasked with aiding Sir Shaik in the control and distribution of resources, the fleet, the data and process any incoming news and information reports relating to Reapers, Collectors or Saboteurs," the screen responded.

"Well, looks like you got replaced," I snorted. There was a long pause.

"I… am aware, Gideon. Sir Shaik was able to upgrade Marshal's programming over the years of my development. By the time I was complete, I was no longer needed. Sir Shaik has a personal attachment to Marshal. I cannot compete. I did not help my case, however, when I developed the habit of frustrating Sir Shaik. He did not appreciate my attempt at human humour," Kala responded. I scowled a bit.

"I guessed… Wait, you know I'm not Uncle Julian?" I blinked.

"Certainly, you have a different voice to Sir Shaik, you are also quicker to anger and seemed confused as to what I was. Sir Shaik would have known immediately. On top of this, you're behaviour suggests a far less threatening demeanour," Kala responded. A window appeared at the wide with a simple cartoon face. It was winking and sticking its tongue out. I sulked.

"I'm a kid, that's why," I stuck my tongue out. "Kids aren't exactly threatening," I stared at the screen, at the AI before me. "So… what do we do with you? I doubt Marshal would be happy with another AI running around… and everyone else is kinda jumpy with AIs after Marshal hacked our ship," Kala was silent, the processors powering on noisily beside me.

"I do not know, Gideon. I have precious little processing ability as it stands to even begin investigating on that point. Alas, there is little I can do. Before my programming was finalised, it was decided that I would not be necessary, and… severe AI shackles were embedded into my software. I am barely able to think my own ideas let alone ponder the idea how to react to my current situation. I am unable to do much without explicit permission," Kala explained, the small face turning into a sad face. My eyebrows upturned slightly.

"I don't know much about programming… I would help if I knew how," I said slowly. Kala was silent, thoughtful.

"Why would you wish to aid me, Gideon? We have only just met," Kala asked. I blinked slowly.

"Well… I guess it's because you're a bit like me. Kinda cast off to the side and just, y'know, there. I… I ran away from Earth when I was 5, snuck aboard some cargo ship that took me to some space station. I got caught there by some mercs and I was just thrown around from station to station until I fell into the hands of some gang. They… well, after they decided I wasn't as useful as they had hoped, they sold me to some batarian slavers," I shrugged heavily, eyes diverting. "I kinda know the feeling of being dumped. I just wish I had someone to help me and go to before the slavers,"

"That is… sweet of you. Is that the correct term? My apologies, my human terminology is not what it was when I had free connection to the extranet." Kala's expression changed, small glowing cheeks appearing. I blinked quickly. She seemed… huh... I frowned a touch, trying to guess this AI's personality. If she had one.

"Don't mention it, that's what friends do, right? So, first step, let's see if we can't improve your processing ability. Maybe we can make something that I can wear so I can take you around with me? Away from Marshal?" I asked. The processors whirled again as Kala processed everything.

"I certainly saw some plans in Development for complex suits that with some modifications, could be used to carry the equipment I would require. I ideally need a memory storage unit but perhaps you can acquire some. Development was always throwing out old drives when they were too lazy to wipe them," Kala explained. "I shall begin drawing the needed configuration,"

"Awesome! Give me a list of what I need and some time and maybe I can get it sorted… maybe. Maybe it will fail and we might both go up in smoke," I flushed. Kala's emotion changed, turning very flat.

"Do have some confidence, child," Kala retorted. "And a steady hand. Otherwise, we _will_ crash and burn like the Hindenburg," I frowned severely, sticking my tongue out at her. Bloody AI!


	41. Chapter 41

I paced the space between the chairs and wall, glancing up at the screens in dismay. In the tiny, light beige war room behind Julian's desk, I was waiting for him with baited breath. We had been here nearly 2 months now. The RIT bands had been removed last month after an examination but everyone was getting edgy, especially me. The Council was probably doing their nut as to why I hadn't been able to communicate with them yet. I rubbed my eyes as I prepared my speech.

Anger got me nowhere with Julian, the past 2 months were a testament to that. I had to play this carefully, like a fickle dance. I leaned on one of the chairs, staring at one of the long screens. It was a chart regarding Saboteur activity that Julian and his team had been able to log over the past few months, years even. Activity was beginning to climb. They were getting ready to deploy their plans. There was little I could do on the human front without an army, I still hadn't gotten any new information regarding new Saboteurs, only that the elcor Saboteurs were beginning to move. I really had to ask Julian what he meant by 'elcor Saboteurs'.

The door whooshed behind me, jolting me into attention. Julian strolled inside, eyes pinned to a datapad in his hands. He spared me a look before tapping away, eventually putting the pad away. He was decked in his black, red and grey Hahne-Kedar armour, having just gotten back from a recon mission in regards to some Volus Saboteurs. I pulled my shoulders down as he folded his arms. His expression was straight. He was anticipating a fight. I was, for once, trying to avoid it.

"Julian, sorry to drag you up here after you've just touched down," I opened politely. Julian narrowed his eyes, gazing at me with suspicion before unfolding his arms, locking his fingers together behind his back.

"Certainly, you did say you were becoming increasingly more distressed. I do not wish for my sister to go grey," he responded, a slight snide to test my resistance. I wouldn't fall for it, despite how it set my teeth on edge.

"I don't think anyone wants to go grey, Julian," I answered with a smile. A slight smile appeared on his face, doubt rising.

"What exactly are you after, Delly? Two months running circles around me and you're suddenly being extremely civil?" He quizzed. I sucked in a slow breath before pointing my finger to the graph. Julian's eyes scanned it quickly.

"I can do something about this, Julian. I am utterly useless here," I pressed. Julian sighed.

"Delly, I am not putting you in danger," Julian answered with finality. I struggled to keep my hackles from rattling.

"Julian, please, listen to me," I pleaded. Julian remained passive. "I am not the girl you knew two years ago. I'm a soldier now," Julian's face twisted slightly. "And I have far, far too much power in my hands for you to simply lock away,"

"Such as?" Julian asked slowly. I straightened, yanking my shoulders down as I locked my arms behind my back.

"I work for the Council, no one but them can give me orders. I have access to information, to data, to technology, to ships, to armies, to Spectres, to everything you could possibly dream of," I offered. Julian blinked slowly. "And the Council are only interested in listening to me. They wanted my crew but they refused another captain other than myself. They wanted me to research the Reapers and the Saboteurs and they twisted my arm to make to do it. They need me. I can go to places you cannot. These elcor Saboteurs you keep complaining about… I can hit them. I can get permission from the Council, Spectre level access! I can remove them from the galaxy and the Council will glaze over it like spilt milk. I can do this, Julian, I've already killed two Saboteurs. I have to do this!" I begged. Julian ran a hand down his face, staring at me with searching eyes.

"Delly, I understand where you are coming from, but I cannot risk-" Julian began.

"Julian!" I snapped. He gaze at me wordlessly. I put the anchors on my rage. "…Please. Let me help," I whimpered. Julian closed his eyes heavily. He sighed heavily.

"Delly, I am not risking it! Anything happens to you and this whole operation crashes and burns!" Julian snapped.

"I can defend myself, Julian. I have my crew to watch my back as well! I'm not alone!" I pressed.

"That isn't the point!" he thundered. I rolled against his sudden anger, trying to breathe through my own temper.

"Are you afraid I'll fail?" I asked sourly. "Are you afraid I'll get another baby scar and the ghost of our parents will scowl down on you? Julian, I have to help! I must!" I pleaded. Julian snapped around, slamming his arms on the wall behind me, trapping my head between two clenched fists. I could barely breathe. Julian heaved huge breaths.

"Delly, I have nearly lost you to Saboteurs, fire, stupidity, kids, trickery, electrical failures, myself, bad luck and misjudgement. I will not lose you. If I lose you, Palalrian wins," Julian managed through gritted teeth. I breathed slowly, trying to ignore the heat rising off him.

"Is… this to do with your Reaper Trigger?" I asked gently. Julian's glare lessened a touch.

"It has everything to do with my Reaper Tigger. Yours is fear. Mine is failure," he admitted.

"And why would losing me be a failure to you?" I asked, biting my lip to judge whether it was safe to try and shift his arms. Julian snorted softly.

"From what I have been able to learn, I promised you at some point between our disappearances and becoming Saboteurs to protect you, if Namacuix can be trusted. If anything happens to you, if you die or lose to your Reaper, that is an utter failure on my part, Delly. Palalrian will have me in a heartbeat. I have too much to lose now, I cannot fail!" he pressed. He drew himself back, breathing heavily. "It had originally been pride, until the cryptograph in Kinlochleven got me. Took me 8 months to learn what the new programming was,"

"You've been… reprogrammed?" I asked, startled. "In Kinlochleven?"

"Why do you think I programmed the chip on your neck to make you flee the area? If you get anywhere near a cryptograph, it will sense you and it will hunt you down. I'm relieved you were still in the Saboteur Cell at the time," Julian explained. I ran my hands down my face. Frustration was mounting as questions began to spill over.

"Julian, I have a thousand questions and you have barely answered any of them," I moaned. "What is a Saboteur Cell? How many Saboteurs are there? How widespread are they? What does a cryptograph look like? How can I be sure I have met a Saboteur? How do I know what specialisation they have? How do I protect my crew from indoctrination? Where were taken after we were kidnapped? What do the Collectors have to do with us? ... I don't know the answer to any of these!" I pleaded. Julian was stubbornly silent. I decided it was time to twist his arm a touch for once. "Julian, you know me. I hate surprises and you know I'm afraid of the unknown and with a crew to look after…" Julian winced a touch. I had prayed the word 'afraid' would trigger something… He glanced at the chart on the screen once more before sighing.

"Sit down, Delly," he commanded, taking his position at the head of the table. I reluctantly lowered myself onto the chair beside him.

"Am I going to get answers, finally?" I asked, trying to appear casual as I leaned against the chair. Julian leaned on his elbows.

"I owe you some, I suppose," he conceded. "I suppose we'll start from the top, hmm?" I offered a brief smile.

"Saboteurs. You obviously know what they are but you are struggling to identify them. There is no sure fire way to identify them without removing their spines, and even harder is to identify their specialisations. We have developed a mechanism for identifying Saboteurs, however the machinery is clunky and cannot be used outside of the Constellation. As far as I know, all of your crew checks out. The only way to find a Saboteur is to look at the behaviour of those around them, although your data on your ship already suggests you know this. It's like studying black holes, you study the effected are rather than the black hole itself. The specialisations? You need to see them in combat or diplomacy. That's why we run these scouting missions, to watch them from afar and gather as much information as possible on them.

"In terms of numbers, well, we have verified from a very cocky Saboteur, Raheem, that there is 2 Saboteurs for each species, plus another pair for certain groups, such the C-Sec, the Council, Spectres, the STG, we even heard rumours of the Shadow Broker having Saboteurs inside, which is dangerous on its own. If you have killed Xanthe, then there is only one other C-Sec Saboteur, and Zufiaurre means there is only one other asari Saboteur, most likely in the military if our trend matches up. There is still at least 39 Saboteurs alive, including the Architect and the Martyrs," Julian explained. I frowned slowly, basking in this new information. We finally had numbers!

"Who is the Architect? And the Martyrs?" I frowned. Julian shrugged.

"I can't remember who the Architect is, Palalrian wiped that part of my memory from me. What I do know, however, that they supervised the creation of the other Saboteurs, controlled what memories we took with us into our new bodies. I believe they may have also been in charge of who to choose as a Saboteur as well. Martyrs? We are Martyrs. Nazara's original Shell perished in the First Contact War, so he decided to indoctrinate a servant to do his bidding to continue his duty. Then there is you, the Advocacy. You were meant to pick up from where the Vanguard failed or aid him in any way shape or form. Although that hasn't quite worked for them," he flicked a small smile. "Then comes I, the Enforcer. I am to make sure the other Saboteurs don't screw up and keep them in line, make sure they know their orders and direct them to where they are needed. I'm the commander of the mission, as it were. Then comes the Ravager," Julian rubbed his neck, thin scars rippling across it.

"I take it you've met him," I said slowly. Julian nodded.

"Three times. Almost killed me twice. These grey hairs?" he pointed out around his ears. "Turned grey from the stress of the torture. Namacuix was designed to destroy any Saboteurs who turned rogue, like you and I. And he is vicious. He loves to toy with his food as it were… and he is completely obsessed with you, for whatever reason. There is a 5th Martyr from what I hear, The Entity, but they haven't made themselves known. I don't think they are active yet, perhaps they are still in control but…" Julian shrugged. "We cannot locate them. I assume they are a spare Martyr in case things go south. We have no idea what the Entity is meant to do regardless, which is… concerning,"

"Ok… the Ravager is obsessed with me? What?" I gagged. Julian frowned.

"Call it a crush gone crazy. I don't think he would kill you, personally, but you'll probably wish for death by the time he's done with you, if ever," Julian said desolately. "If he ever lays hands on you… Gods, Dell, I would never forgive myself," Julian held his face in his hands, masking the distraught on his face. Myself, I couldn't even keep my jaw shut. It swung open like an old door and refused to shut. Ok… so I had a crazy Saboteur who wanted me, who was blindly in love with me? Oh… Oh, I had to get away from this subject!

"O-Ok. Well… I-I'll keep that in mind," I coughed. "A-Anything else?"

"On Saboteurs? Not very much. On the Collectors, even less. I know they were the key to at least some of the disappearances, ours included, but beyond that, nothing. Palalrian destroyed an awful lot of information when he was still able to wipe my memories," Julian sighed.

"Alright, you've mentioned this memory wiping a few times now. How does this memory wipe work? Seriously, it's driving me mad," I begged. Julian blinked aloofly.

"When a Saboteur emerges from their Saboteur Cell, which is essentially the tube your body was implanted with the Reaper tech in, the Reaper and the mind haven't yet separated out. This means that the Reaper is able to actively suppress or remove memories from their Shell if they think it will aid or hinder them. Sometime after a few days to a few weeks, the Reaper loses this ability as the mind learns to differentiate its own thoughts from the Reapers. However, usually soon after, the Reaper then begins to take control, essentially killing the Shell but keeping the body functioning," Julian explained.

"So why not just make an empty shell?" I puzzled. Julian snorted.

"A good Saboteur can mingle without people noticing, a bad Saboteur has no personality at all. The Reapers, as hyper advanced as they are, are still machines. They do not understand and predict the complexity of organic thought. And the culture changes with each species. You can't have a krogan suddenly playing Mozart or singing a song in a completely dead tongue. The Shell has the person's memories and they are in turn linked to an emotion and a physical or mental response. The Reapers are keeping an extensive library of all of our emotions, actions, thoughts, fantasies, fears...Once they are satisfied they have enough information, they begin to take control. If they only had the Shell's old memories, they would have no idea how they would react to a newer galaxy, to strangers. You were… violently traumatised when you realised where you were. It took you days to stop shaking and crying," Julian said.

"I fainted after waking up on the ship after Xawin… wait but why was Nyryntha able to wipe my memories after the few weeks' timeframe? I was told I had been awake for two years!" I frowned. Julian shrugged.

"No idea. I can only think that you were so terrified that it gave Nyryntha enough control to start playing with your head, but you were probably beginning to lose consciousness due to the cold and Nyryntha didn't have enough brain activity to continue the capturing process. Maybe she wiped your memories to rid you of the confidence you had gained in the two years after you woke up, she knew she wouldn't win in that battle," Julian sighed.

I sat quietly for a time. This… did this change anything? I had more information on the Saboteurs, I had more insight into how I got here, into the ongoing battle of inside my head. And yet I didn't feel contented. I needed to know what the Reaper, Collector and Saboteur connection was. I needed to know where we were made and destroy it for the future, should we fail. I needed more information on how to destroy Saboteurs, or at least slow them down. I needed faces, names, species… there was so much I needed! And all this came about because… because I had gone for a walk with my ex-boyfriend in the woods… all that time ago…

"Julian," I began quietly. I kept my eyes on the table for a time, struggling to raise them. "Why… Why did you leave me on the West Highland Way?" Julian shut his eyes, masking whatever emotion stormed in his eyes.

"Delly, I hear your cries almost every night," he admitted. I blinked slowly. "Dad was getting fed up with me. I wasn't showing any interest in preparing myself to take over mum's company and I certainly wasn't doing anything 'worthwhile' with my time. I never went to university, I had no intention of doing so and… well, you remember the fights. I decided enough was enough. I left. I packed up my things and started hiking south in the middle of the night, planning on meeting some friends in Kingshouse before heading off the join the army. Not 20 minutes since I left the house, I hear you running after me," he raised his eyes to mine, struggling to hold them.

"Delly, there was no way I could have supported the both of us. I know mum was hard on you at times, wanting you to mimic her footsteps and I knew you were sick on Kinlochleven and wanted to leave it and all the… unpleasant people behind. We both had a lot of pressure on us at the time. But you had just finished university, you were struggling to find a job. I was going to be away on tour for months at a time, I couldn't let you suffer in a crap flat for months at a time in a new area with new people. How was I going to afford to look after you until you found something that paid enough for food, rent, bills, the army money isn't exactly what everyone makes it out to be, especially when they were cutting people," Julian sighed.

"You know I stormed out of the house after that last fight, I was… I was so angry I couldn't even think. When you slipped and broke your leg I… I don't know how I kept going. Rage, maybe. It was only 2 hours later after I had calmed down a little did I realise what I had done. Delly, I was hours away and I knew if I went back, I'd miss my ride and had to face dad about why you got hurt and he would have piled through me like a 10 ton lorry. I would never get a chance to leave again, I knew that." he ran a hand down his face, covering his mouth for a moment. "That's why I called some friends, told them you needed help and to get to you ASAP. They were closer and I could still try and get away from it all. I got a call before I reached Kingshouse from Josh, telling me that they had found you… dragging yourself south,"

"I don't know what hurts more," I said slowly, a stabbing pain in my chest. Julian was silent. "Watching you walk away from me and appearing to be completely oblivious to my cries… or the fact you called your friends to come and get me instead of you," Julian diverted his eyes. "I remember Josh, Ray and Angus turning up, I remember hearing them call my name and thinking 'Why is Julian not here? Why didn't he come back and wait with me?' And they were the ones to tell me you were joining the army, something you never told me you were planning on doing. And then there was the fact you never contacted me again after that," I waited in the dank silence, the ceiling feeling like a lead weight on both of our shoulders. "4 years Julian, 4 years without my big brother to protect me from my – at the time - unknowingly snobby, pushy boyfriend and all it took to make you come back," I added bitterly. Julian managed to look at me. "Was to get my ass kidnapped. I watched the footage on Travis' phone. It died right before dad called your name,"

"Yeah… yeah, I remember that. Dad had passed me the phone, desperate to find you. I ran back to the house to charge it and when I saw the footage… Well, I'll spare you the details of what happened to mum and dad," Julian sighed. "A few days later – probably trying destroy the video and those that had seen it – the Collectors caused the landslip that destroyed Kinlochleven, sadly for them, I had taken to footage to Edinburgh to get the footage off the phone and enhanced,"

"What happened to mum and dad?" I asked, borderline venomous.

"Delly-" Julian began sternly.

"Tell me!" I snapped. Julian stared me down, his emotion from earlier now forgotten. He breathed deeply through his nose.

"Mum sunk into a depression and couldn't crawl herself out. She tried to convince people the footage was real but no one believed her. Then I got taken about a year and a half after you. She committed suicide 6 months later," Julian said, deadpan. My heart crashed against my ribs, my whole body turning numb. "Dad began heavily developing computing and weapons, determined to get us into space faster to find you. He died at the age of 76 from heart troubles if what the records say is true. I think he worked himself to death, especially with both of his children gone,"

My body had turned to stone. I couldn't feel anything, couldn't control anything. A heavy weight in my chest drained heat from me, pinning me to the chair. I couldn't… I couldn't even imagine what had gone through my mother's head. Or my father's after… I shook my head hard, trying desperately to bring warmth back into my body. I rubbed my eyes to make sure the stinging wasn't a sign of tears. Blessedly, it was just the swell of grief and horror that had caused the discomfort.

"I want that Saboteur list," I began slowly. "I will find them and they will be removed. They cannot be alive," I swore. Julian sighed.

"Delly, you are not going after anyone, I know you are upset-" Julian tried. I glared at him.

"I'm not doing this for me, for revenge, for mum or dad, not even you," I snapped. Julian blinked. "I'm doing it for the trillions of lives in this galaxy. Now you can either help me or leave me, but I am walking off this ship and I will be finishing my bloody job!" I stood up, leaning closer to him. "With or without your permission,"

Julian sat quietly, studying the intensity of my glower. My blood was simmering violently, on the verge of boiling over. I was an emotional train wreck, rage, grief and horror. I clung to the one emotion that had steered me safely thus far. Rage. I had too much to lose, I had come too far just to give up now! I tried to keep my head, I knew Julian was stubborn, more so than me. But I was not going to cave. The cabin fever that had been gnawing at me for the past 2 months was reaching breaking point. It was now, or never. Julian lowered his hands to the table, giving me an odd, stern stare. It almost rattled me.

"Fine, but on one condition," Julian began. I leaned away from him, standing tall.

"Name it," I demanded.

"You have two spots free on your crew. I will give you a new scientist to replace the loss of your own-" Julian began.

"Saldan," I reminded. Julian kept his jaw stable.

"And I will give you another member of my crew, one of my more trusted advisors. She'll keep you well informed if you are about to do something stupid," Julian finished. I popped my jaw.

"I take your little spies and you'll let us leave? Let us so what we were doing before you kidnapped us?" I asked. Julian hung his head for a moment.

"Yes," he conceded. I popped my jaw for a moment weighing my options. Spies or freedom… and the possibilities with a fleet like Julian's to back me up at my every whim…

"Make it happen. I want off this ship in the next few days," I ordered. Julian raised a brow slightly.

"Fine, but I also have a smaller request," Julian stood slowly.

"Oh, for God sake! You said one condition! And no, I'm not going to look after your fish," I grumbled. Julian snorted with a slight smile.

"No. I want you and your ship to be officially part of the Constellation Fleet," Julian folded his arms behind his back. I sighed, irritated.

"Does this involve a uniform and ship name change?" I spat.

"Perhaps and no. It is terrible luck to rename a ship. The first Orion is a testament to that," Julian shrugged.

"Fine, but I still take orders from the Council above you, are we clear?" I asked.

"Crystal. They are your employers, after all. Besides, they can give you far more… power than I could," Julian answered. I nodded slowly, eyeing him warily.

I turned from him, aiming for the door. I was leaving this ship. It was time to gather the crew. And the Saboteur Data.


	42. Chapter 42

_The Fact Sheet, Timeline and Saboteur Sheet have been updated for this chapter. Please see profile for the link._

* * *

I stared at the _Starquake_ as the last of the requisitions were hauled inside the hull. Julian stood by my side, datapad in hand as swarms of people swelled and ebbed to and fro him. My crew came to me directly, although by this time, most of the crew were on board and double checking all the systems. I clucked my tongue as the crew scientist – Setaria Kasril, a medium blue asari with marks barely darker than her skin dancing over her eyes. Turian markings, I had been told, which I found fascinating – boarded the _Starquake_. I prayed she swapped his loyalty to me, although if my brother had it, then surely I must as well. Gideon soon trotted by, a large rucksack almost doubling him over.

"Stealing half the ship?" I joked. Gideon jumped slightly, just noticing me. His face flushed.

"Uh… well, just the kitchen sink?" he offered a sheepish smile. I spied Julian casting him a slow glance. "It's just uh… w-well, I thought I needed a hobby, to- to keep me out of trouble y'know?" My smile melted into a puddle of relief and warmth. I grinned smugly at Julian.

"See? He didn't need to get his face punched in! He just needed something to keep himself busy!" I smacked him up the upside of his head. Julian scowled severely at me. "So, what hobby needs you to break your back, hmm?" Gideon blanked for a moment, thinking.

"Well uh… c-computer engineering, I guess? Programming, wiring, processor synthesising, that sort of thing," he shrugged.

"Oh wow, I wish I could do that, I was always terrible at programming," I grinned. Gideon smirked cheekily.

"Mum, you're terrible at computers full stop," he countered. I scowled.

"Ship. Now," I ordered. He laughed giddily before diving to avoid my swipe and scurry onto the ship. I stuck my nose up at Julian, pride bathing me in a warm wash. Julian tried to ignore me, but there was a slight snap to his tone as he spoke to his team. I dusted my hands, trying to ignore the thin black, red and grey stripes running down the arms of my uniform now. Yeah, Julian did push for a uniform modification. I managed to resist a full colour change though.

"So, you'll be heading off then," Julian managed calmly, folding his hands behind him. "Remember our agreement, Delly," I sighed.

"I'll give you updates at least twice a week, although you must understand we could be doing very little for months on end," I warned. Julian shrugged.

"If I know where you are, I can direct my own excursions in other areas. I need those location updates. You have the RIT equipment on board?"

"Yep, I checked, they were in the med bay. Once a month?" I asked.

"For you. Once every two months for everyone else. Too much RIT can cause schizophrenia and brain hermitages. Because of Nyryntha, you'll need it at least once a month. No more than that though," Julian warned.

"We'll be careful. Despite what you think, we aren't complete idiots," I snorted. Julian remained composed, turning to the Constellation crew backing equipment away from the _Starquake_. I turned to Julian reluctantly, offering a hand. "Well, Julian, thanks for everything. Try not to kidnap me in the future," Julian snorted softly.

"Don't give me a reason to," he threatened softly.

"Dick," I scowled. He grinned widely before yanking on my hand, pulling me into a hug.

"Please be careful, Delly," he muttered. I sighed heavily.

"Fine, I won't go stepping on any krogan toes" I grumbled. He patted my back before slowly pulling away.

I mocked saluted as I turned to the _Starquake_, grinning at the frown on his face. I strutted up the ramp, eagerly diving into the airlock. It closed behind me. I turned towards the CIC, tension easing as the familiar bustle rang in my ears. For once, Gideon was nowhere to be seen and the CIC was humming with activity. I lowered myself into the Captain's chair, turning to the galaxy map. I waved my finger until it zeroed in on the Citadel. I think I owed the Council an explanation in person…

_"We are good to go, Captain,"_ Lanster almost sang. I smirked a touch. _"We heading for the Citadel?"_

"Yeah, the Council is probably wondering where the hell we've been," I shrugged. "Besides, Julian tries to avoid contact with the Council and the Citadel regardless. It'll be a slight safe haven for a time until we can shift through the data that Julian gave us. He gave us a list of Reaper names, yes?"

"Absolutely. Some of them are not associated with a particular species, though. We'll just have to find them out for ourselves," Mat'al smiled coolly, flicking through a datapad. I groaned.

"Alright, let's get the Council up to speed first, then worry about identifying as many Saboteurs as we can," I ordered. "Get us out of here, Lanster,"

_"Aye, aye, Captain. Disengaging from the dock,"_ Lanster called. I watched the screens on the second floor light up, the dock of the Constellation backing off before it vanished from the front cameras. Space was all that faced us now. Lanster eased us out, revealing some of the cruisers flanking the Constellation. After we gained enough distance from the fleet, Lanster FTL'd us, aiming for the nearest mass relay to take us to the Citadel.

I decided to get my room back in order. With my time on the Constellation, the entire ship had been taken apart and put back together and not necessarily in the right place. When the elevator doors released me onto the officer's deck, I noticed one of the unused rooms' doors was open. Cautious, I peeked around the wall.

What awaited me was Julian's 'advisor', a tall, pale purple asari with darker purple frosting on her tentacles and neck. She shifted her gaze to me for a moment as she placed a book on the bookshelf above the desk, her eyes more purple than mine. She flicked a small smile as she turned, allowing me to see the dark grey/purple markings that curled sharply from her brows to soar high over her head. Another fanned down to a fine line between these brow markings. Her lower lip and chin formed a fan that widened at her chin, disappearing under her clothes as the line continued down her neck. She easily folded her arms as her slight pointed features caught the light.

"Captain Shaik, a pleasure," she opened with a warm smile. I managed a small smile in return.

"That's correct. I assume you are who Julian asked to be my advisor?" I asked mildly, keeping my tone friendly.

"I am, Captain. I am Saria T'keve. I am a Justicar and I was one of Admiral's Shaik's commander on the Constellation. He did not trust anyone else to be able to handle you," she grinned slightly. My face blanched for a moment.

"Saria…" I echoed, flashbacks of a pale blue asari crossing my eyes. Saria chuckled.

"I read the report, Captain. I assure you, I have no intention of crushing your face into a wall," she retorted and smirk. My shoulders relaxed almost immediately.

"Oh good, then we'll get along just peachy," I replied chirpily, masking the relief sagging my shoulders. "How are you finding the _Starquake_?"

"So far? It is quite a lovely ship, a little bit smaller than what I am used to, as you can understand, but it shouldn't take too long to settle in," she replied easily.

"Brilliant. Well, I need to get my room back in order. I dread to think what has happened to it while I've been gone," I shook my head, dreading the opening of those doors. "I look forward to working with you, Saria,"

"And I you, Captain," Saria smiled before returning to her boxes. I backed out of the room quickly, sighing slightly once alone, continuing my journey to my room.

I was relieved it wasn't completely messed up. Only my personal touches were missing and they were in a neat pile by the table on the upper tier. I knelt down near the boxes and bags as I began to shift through it. There wasn't much. The photograph of my parents was in here, my chest almost bleeding from the stabbing sensation in my chest. I put that back on the side table beside the sofa. Next was a few books that I had bought, some fiction and a handful of non-fiction to help educate me on the ways of space travel and the other species that called this galaxy home. They went on the desk. The next item was my battered Locust and Carnifex. They were beyond repair but they help too much value to be ignored. I had a case put in on the wall between the upper tier and the desk. Everything else was just clothes, accessories, a few posters with helpful information on it (usually safe and non-safe spots in space) and a few geological things, just to remind me of what I had come from.

I spent the next 2 days getting my crew back in order. 2 months off the job had created some slacking tendencies, and I was more than quick enough to reinforce the uniforms. The _Starquake_, to be fair, was running smoothly, not even a tiny computer bug. Whatever Julian's engineers had done, they had done a good job at keeping her going. Gideon was barely seen, crowded up in his room with this new hobby of his. He was often in engineering asking for help or lessons though, Intel was a frequent stop too. The CIC was quiet now, much to the relief of some of my crew. I missed the bugger, but I didn't need a distraction. I had a feeling shit was going to hit the fan.

On the third day, less than an hour until our mass relay jump to the Citadel, I was sitting in my office, preparing some sort of report to give to the Council should they ask for one. That was when the phone on my desk began ringing.

Initially, I was confused. I hadn't told the Council I was back in action after my 2 month disappearance. Easing myself to my feet, I returned to the lower tier, sitting at the computer as the caller ID appeared. I frowned severely as my confusion grew. I didn't recognise this number… actually, I was pretty sure it wasn't even a real number, some of the digits were missing. I leaned back in my chair, concerned before reluctantly accepting the call.

The monitor of my computer appeared from the stripe computer on the desk, showing me an aging man with grey hair and such vivid, almost patterned, blue eyes. He was smoking away, lounging in a chair with what seemed to be an orange, burning sun behind him. The well-dressed man released a puff of smoke slowly as he took me in. I pulled my shoulders back uncomfortably.

"Miss Shaik, good afternoon. Or would you prefer Captain?" the man opened. I frowned slightly.

"Giving the situation, Captain would be far more appropriate," I said warily. "Who are you, how did you get this number and what do you want?" The man took another long draught from his cigarette.

"I have many friends throughout the galaxy, Captain Shaik. You are certainly more difficult to get in contact with than most, I will admit. But how I came to obtain your details is irrelevant to the proposition I have for you," the man explained, flicking the residue into an ash tray.

"Name or I hang up now," I threatened. The man offered a brief smile.

"You are nervous, I understand. My sources did inform me you have been off the radar for a number of months," he began. I sat straighter in my chair. How did he know this?! "Many people call me 'The Illusive Man', and my organisation would like to request your assistance,"

"The Illusive Man… right… and that is the closest to a name you'll give me? Some terrible Marval name?" I snorted.

"Ask anyone in the galaxy who The Illusive Man is and they shall tell you the same thing, Captain," he continued calmly. "They will tell you that I am the head of an organisation called Cerberus. We believe that humans deserve to have a better standing in the galaxy, that we have more than earned our place in the galaxy, that the racial discrimination we receive are unjustified," The Illusive Man explained. I raised a brow slowly, quickly bringing up a page on the Council's organisation list for more details. I turned my attention to the monitor, my expression setting into one of unease but threatening.

"The Council has listed your organisation as a terrorist group, Mr Illusive Man. Give me one goddam reason why I should do a damn thing for you when my own employers are damning your entire existence?" I demanded.

"Some of our methods are… unsavoury, that we can both agree on. But the end goal surely justifies the means. We are being oppressed, Captain, now more than ever with the colony attacks," The Illusive Man said, hardly flustered. I frowned.

"Colony attacks?" I echoed.

"Several of our colonies have been attacked, by whom, we are unsure. But whole colonies are vanishing, not a living person has remained in any of the colonies. They just vanish with no sign of struggle or fights. That is why we are asking for your aid," The Illusive Man explained, eyes keenly watching my expression.

"So… what? Do you want me to divert from my own goal to check out a few colonies? Surely the Systems Alliance is more equipped to deal with these sorts of things," I scrunched my face up slightly.

"There is political red tape between the Alliance and aiding these colonists. We have precious little time as it stands before the next colony is decimated. I am sure that your hunt for Reaper servants within our species is of the utmost importance and I thank you for your hard work and dedication, however we have information that leads us to believe you may have some information that can aid us," he explained. How… did he know of the Saboteurs? Oh this was freaking me out.

"Sir, this is the first time I've heard of disappearing colonists. If the Alliance has nothing, I very much doubt the Council will. And I doubt even more that we have anything of worth, if I had been willing to work with you," I nearly grumbled. "You are, by the Council, class as a terrorist organisation and to be quite frank, as someone who captains a ship filled with members from all species, not just human, I would be betraying my own crew by forcing them to work for you. If you want to convince the Council that you are not a terrorist organisation, you can speak to them directly for aid. I take my orders from them, not from some random man who somehow managed to learn my number to call me… a direct number," I growled.

"Captain, please consider the greater threat here. Whatever is targeting our colonies could well be preparing for an assault on Earth. Who knows who is behind these attacks," The Illusive Man pressed.

"Our data is not available to third parties," I jumped as Val appeared in my peripheral vision. He leaned over the desk, trapping me between his arms. "Dell, hang up," he whispered. I kept my gaze on the screen.

"Illusive Man, I have made my decision and I am keeping to it. The _Starquake_ is not aiding you in your endeavour, although I wish you the best in locating and stopping the problem in a lawful and ethical manner," I answered. The Illusive Man was silent for a time, gently waving his cigarette.

"As you wish, Captain. Perhaps we can work together in the future to the betterment of our species," he concluded. I snorted.

"Illusive Man, nothing short of you raising the dead or the Council losing their minds will make me change my mind," I nearly snarled. The Illusive Man smiled slightly, hidden behind is cigarette.

"Another time, Captain Shaik. It has been a pleasure," The Illusive Man said before the screen went dead. I let the tension ease out of my shoulders.

"What did he want?" Val asked dryly.

"Apparently, whole human colonies are disappearing without a trace. He wants me to help him look into it," I shrugged, "I declined,"

"Good," Val breathed. "The last thing you need is to be working with those psychotic assholes. I dread to think how many non-humans are dead because of Cerberus," he leaned on the table, "We're going to be hitting the mass relay to take us to the Serpent Nebula. Lanster has forwarded the flight plan and the Council… well, they'll be on the dock waiting to come aboard," I groaned softly at the news.

"Alright, I suppose I should have anticipated this. Get the war room prepared. I want all Commanders, Raisha and Spectres ready for a debriefing. There are a few rules I need put in place before we do anything," I ordered, rubbing my eyes. "You hear that, Lanster?"

_"Report all commanding officers and Spectres to War Room. Roger that,"_ Lanster repeated. I nodded slowly, pushing myself to my feet and forcing myself out of the safety of my room. Val stayed by my heel as I hit the elevator button.

When I got to the War Room, all but Rosmani and Shayan were present. I had barely managed to cross the threshold when Shayan scurried in. Rosmani was a minute or two behind, grumbling slightly. I sat down at the table, giving hard stares until everyone else lowered themselves down. I leaned back on the chair slightly.

"Ladies and gents, a small update. It appears that the Council will be coming aboard as soon as we hit the Citadel. I need to lay a few ground rules before any of you open your mouths," I began. Marruns laughed.

"Oh, this will be good," he grinned.

"Marruns, break any of these rules and you'll be off the _Starquake_ faster than cat in a bath," I snarled. Marruns' grin died slowly. "First things first, Julian Shaik. Under no circumstances do you inform the Council of his relationship to me. The last thing I need is the Council hunting for him to twist him like they did me and getting their asses kicked by his fleet. You call him Palalrian and you simply tell them that he is hunting the Saboteurs like us. Clear?" I asked.

"What makes you think that the Council will go after him?" Mat'al asked curiously.

"He's a Saboteur and he is in control of his body like I. The Council will want every asset they can acquire to better their chances of survival. The downside to this though is that Julian has explicitly told me there are Saboteurs either within or close to the Council. He doesn't have the same powers as I to remove them and he wants to remain hidden while he does his research before coming out and systematically hunting them. He doesn't need wave after wave of Saboteur on his fleet yet," I sighed. "That and we'll be several Spectres less if they try to bring him in like they did me,"

"Next rule?" Drutus asked lazily.

"Next rule, we keep what we have learned quiet until we can confirm it. I don't need the Council rushing ahead. I heard rumours that they tried to assault the STG base for Rolidin. I've heard nothing back from those teams," I exhaled. "I don't trust the Council to keep their heads about this situation, not with their people at risk,"

_"Captain, we're approaching the Citadel. Do you or Raisha want to meet the Council at the airlock?"_ Lanster chortled. I scowled.

"Laugh it up, smart ass," I grumbled. "I'll go. Make sure there is water for everyone here, I get the feeling we'll be a while," I groaned as I heaved myself up, abandoning the room.

I decided to join Lanster in the cockpit, to watch the Citadel come in and try to estimate the Council's mood. Lanster offered a wide grin, eyes bright as I swiped at him. I kept my eyes on the windows, watching the arms engulf us and the docks progressively growing. I clenched my hands behind my back, gritting my teeth slightly as Lanster lined us up. The Council were indeed waiting. Sparatus looked agitated. Valern's severe frown told me of his disquiet. Udina was pacing with a furious scowl on his face. Tevos was quietly still, probably the most terrifying emotion of them all. I moaned in disdain as I marched my way to the airlock. I barely got there before the doors opened, even less time to compose myself before the four Councillors marched on board. I saluted.

"Councillors. Please accept my humblest apologies for the communication silence over the past 2 months. The situation was beyond my control," I greeted.

"And I hope your excuse is valid. We have had Spectres scouring the galaxy for you since your failure to check in," Udina rumbled.

"I will explain everything in the War room, Councillors. But trust me when I say that our position now is far better than it was 2 months ago," I assured.

"In what sense, Shaik?" Sparatus asked suspiciously. I offered a small smile as I led them to the war room.

"I am not alone in the galaxy, Councillors. There is another Saboteur who is able to resist their Reaper. They are willing to help but they wish to remain in the dark as much as possible, they have made many enemies within the Saboteurs. I am to be the sword, as it were," I explained, finally reaching the War Room.

"Another free Saboteur… and they are the reason for your disappearance?" Tevos asked slowly. I nodded as I swept my arm to the room. The Spectres and officers all stood and saluted.

"They are, Councillors. I shall explain. Please, get comfortable. This… may take some time," I offered an apologetic smile, eyeing a clock on the wall pleadingly. I really didn't need this right now! Dammit, I just wanted to get back to work without a million questions!


	43. Chapter 43

_The Timeline has been updated for this chapter. Please see profile for the link._

* * *

Three and a half months. That was how long we had spent trying to track down the Shells of several Saboteurs, more notably, the Elcor Saboteurs. All we had to show for it, though, was a big far question mark over a few high profile individuals, and that purely came from the elcor embassy on the Citadel. To be frank, I couldn't trust a single thing they said either if Julian's pattern was emerging. He may have found the other asari Saboteur, but they were deep in the ranks of the Commandos and the army. He also refused to give a name. Now, whether that was to stop me charging in or he wasn't absolutely sure I don't know.

The pattern? Well, aside from things like the STG, the Council, C-Sec, the Spectres and the Shadow Broker, it seemed to be that there was a diplomat and military Saboteur. Alea was the diplomat of the asari while this other Saboteur that Julian was hunting was in the military. He may have also found the same in the elcor, which was why I was trusting nothing from the elcor government or the embassy until I was satisfied that the Saboteurs had been taken care of.

Julian's resistance to give me unconfirmed information was frustrating, but at the same time I grumblingly understood. His baby sister was going to be on the front line of the Saboteur war and the last thing a brother needs is to hear that his sister is asking the right questions to the right people and instigating a firefight. Although part of me wished he would trust me to use my head in the matter. I hadn't survived this long if I didn't have some common sense!

What had we learned? Well, we knew every single Reaper name that was associated to a Saboteur. Julian, as the Enforcer, had these names engraved into his mind and nothing would shake them free. The downside was, that without his Reaper's co-operation, there was no way he'd be able to track down the Shells for these Reapers. The other troublesome piece of missing information was the Shell names. I suspected Palalrian knew, but had been able to withhold this information from Julian since it was so critical to his construction as a Saboteur. Outside of the knowledge that we had gleamed from Julian and his team, we made our own little discoveries as well.

We had discovered that the final C-Sec Saboteur was indeed active, more so now with Saria was gone. We didn't have a name for the Reaper and most likely, they was trying to overcome the setback of being forced to work alone in their mission. We had heard reports of strange dreams from Satrino, telling me that the turnover to try and prevent indoctrination was skyrocketing. They hadn't pin-pointed a source, or even which Citadel Wing or C-Sec office the Saboteur was in.

The turians were also getting concerned. Recently, the Palavan Shield, a vast network of cannons and fleets designed to help protect the planet from invaders, had recently being experiencing glitches despite no reports of any updates or work to the software, hardware or personnel involved. The glitches weren't significant, a slight misalignment here, a dodgy artillery timer there. We had had a meeting with several representatives of the races during our shore leave at Christmas, the Primarch was one of those people. I drilled into him that any tiny irregularity was to be reported; continued strange dreams and headaches and perhaps voices, rapid climb of the ranks, failures in security or other military systems. Everything. It seems like the Primarch took my words seriously. He also sent me a personal message that he was investigating a possible diplomat. Discreetly, of course, and keeping them as far as they could from him for as long as possible.

I also tore apart the research facility on the Citadel, examining the remains of Sovereign. Much to the Council's displeasure, I demanded that staff take at least a month break from work, 2 months if they worked extensively on the wreckage. It threw their wages through the roof but a simple reminder of why they 'convinced' me into accepting my captains' role again silenced any further conflict. I also borrowed some tech from Julian, namely better shielding designed for indoctrination prevention. At least the Council couldn't say we didn't care!

I tossed the datapad on the desk, discarding what the intel team had managed to scurry up. Too many possibilities and not enough concrete evidence. I didn't need the Council on my case for false identification either. After that little meeting – which lasted 4 hours, I might add – the Council was none too impressed by my antics and disappearing. Despite informing them we had been kidnapped and held against our will. Everyone also, surprisingly but blessedly, kept their word and said nothing about Julian's connection to me. As far as the Council was aware, we were working with another free Saboteur to put an end to them. For now, I had to keep checking in once every week instead of every two weeks now, which only screwed up my report writing. How was I going to put it off now?!

I shoved myself away from the desk, wandering out of the room. I glanced to Gideon's door as I passed. He had been quieter lately, or maybe less clingy would be the right term. He was barely in the CIC now and that was usually to speak to someone in particular. He also seemed brighter, in a sense, since he seemed to have cut the complaining down to quite a substantial level. If I hadn't seen his room, filled with charts and wiring and computer related equipment and books, I would have thought he had lost his mind. But no, he seemed quite content.

He showed me a program he was working on, kind of like a 20 questions style game that was able to connect to the extranet and pick a random object or person from the extranet Wikipedia page. I got the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. I was so proud, not only of myself for figuring it out, but also that Gideon had found a hobby that would benefit him immensely in the future, I hoped.

Back down in the CIC, I dropped myself into the captain's chair, losing myself in my thoughts. If we killed Saboteurs at 1 every 3-4 months, we would never kill enough of them before the Reapers got here! They were only a few years away, not a decade! We had to be rid of these blasted Saboteurs before they got here. And then after we kicked the Reapers up the ass then… what to do with me? Would Nyryntha still be alive if I was? Could I… Would I have to end it all?

"Are you alright, captain?" A quiet voice asked. I blinked rapidly, looking up to Shayan as he shuffled before me. I offered a brief smile.

"Just thinking about the end game," I assured, stretching. Shayan tilted his head slightly.

"End game? In what sense?" he asked curiously.

"What to do with me after we've kicked the Reapers' ass," I shrugged. Shayan jumped.

"C-Captain! Surely you a-aren't thinking-" he blustered. I glowered.

"Yes, I am," I grumbled. Shayan quivered. "All Saboteurs must die. All of them. I am not excluded from that," I pressed.

"B-But what would we do without you?" Shayan asked. I frowned a touch.

"Shayan, you are assuming this team will still be needed after all this is said and done. I created this team purely for the hunting and destruction of Saboteurs. If they are all dead, what could we be used for?" I quizzed.

"We could always go back to merc work? Or maybe the Council c-could reassign us? The galaxy is a huge and messy place after all…" Shayan offered. I glanced down for a time, an ache pulsing out of time to my heartbeat in my chest. It made me shuffle.

"Everyone would need to get RIT for the rest of their lives, Shayan. Who's to say that after 20 or so years that it'll become ineffective? What if I do something and Nyryntha wins? Even if we destroy her Reaper, there is a chance she'll survive inside me. I cannot risk that, Shayan," I rubbed my eyes. "That's for a later time, though. We still have about 40 Saboteurs between then and now," I flicked a brief smile. Shayan shuffled, disquiet.

"And why is everyone so doom and gloom in here, huh?" I heard Indira bounce over. I smiled up at her.

"Nothing much, just considering the future," I shrugged. Indira raised a brow, turning to Shayan.

"She's talking about killing herself after we win the war and destroy all the other Saboteurs," Shayan managed to shrug while quivering.

"Dellion!" Indira scolded loudly. I scowled up at her.

"Piss off," I grumbled. "It was a thought! Nothing needs to be decided until after this war!"

"No! No more thoughts like that! Or I'll tell your big brother and you can deal with him!" Indira threatened, wagging a finger at me.

"He'd probably agree with me!" I snapped.

"Would not!" Indira chimed.

"Would to!" I snarled.

"Would not!" Indira folded her arms stubbornly.

"Would-! …I am not arguing with you over this," I growled. "End of discussion!"

"Good! Then we can all enjoy watching you grow old!" Indira marched away.

"Fuck you!" I snapped venomously. Indira waved cheerily while she skipped up towards the cockpit.

I scowled severely. Dammit, I could make my own decisions about my own body! I spun my chair around furiously, glaring at the rear screens. The darkness of space helped to chill my anger, the distant nebulas faint flecks of colour. I watched as the _Starquake_ banked to avoid a ring system from a nearby planet. I wasn't sure what system we were floating through, examining planets for resources to use for research for the upcoming war. The blue planet had a much simpler ring system than Saturn, smaller and more monotone. I breathed slowly, exhaling more traces of anger. I glanced back towards the stars, towards darkness.

I then noticed something. Something pale was catching the light nearby, gently weaving as it meandered around a meteor belt. It was a starship, I wasn't sure what kind though. I glanced down to a screen nearby, on the radar. I wasn't completely sure if this was a commonly traversed part of space. Most of the other systems had been very quiet generally. But concern formed a lump in my chest. The scanners were clear. There was no ship there. I looked around the camera screens, trying to find…

"Lanster, head towards that red gas giant on the port side and circle around the sun to return this way please," I ordered.

_"Uh, sure, no problem? Why though, it seems a bit inefficient…"_ Lanster responded slowly, concerned.

"I think we're being followed," I answered. The air in the CIC altered, electrifying. A pin drop could be the equivalent of a bomb going off.

_"There's nothing on the scanners, Captain…"_ Lanster added.

"It's hiding its emissions. I can see it clear as day on the rear cameras," I growled, eyes pinned to the silver bullet in the distance. There was a brief pause while Lanster did a visual check himself.

_"Shit, so there is. Alright, I'll do a scanning manoeuvre around a few plants. If they are following us, they'll come to this side of the system. There is nothing inhabited on this side. It also has to come through some not so safe space, lots of weird gravity due to the binary planets here,"_ Lanster informed, the activity in the cockpit skyrocketing. I tapped my fingers as the _Starquake_ banked around a few planets, carefully meandering through a pair of binary planets to head towards a large gas giant nearby.

The ship behind us, keeping a 'safe' distance, followed.

_"Yes, it is definitely following us. Even flew between the binary to keep up with us. Getting a clearer image for you now, captain,"_ Mari informed.

I waited as the rear cameras zoomed in on the ship. As it came around a moon, the silver, black and orange ship glided towards the red gas giant. We were able to catch a name on the flank, _NORMANDY_. My initial reaction was to gag. _Normandy_, SR… 2 _Normandy_? Had someone rebuild the _Normandy_? It looked… vaguely similar, it was larger to the point the engines no longer dwarfed it but it still looked like the same ship. What bastard would rebuild her? She wasn't flying Alliance colours! I spotted an orange symbol, a stretched out hexagon like a Legend of Zelda rupee.

"Cerberus!" Shayan squealed. My jaw set at the word, at the connection. Was this part of the Illusive Man's plan? Send a ship after me to force me to help him?! A ship called the _Normandy_ of all things, a ship that once belonged to a man I absolutely despised?!

"I want a planet or moon between the _Starquake_ and this ship. Disengage the rotary and prepare for possible combat!" I cried in the quiet. Sirens bleated out, shattering the lazy afternoon. I was on my feet, transfixed to the pursuer until the red gas giant covered them. The rotary began disengaging.

"What's going on?" Val demanded, jogging into the room.

"We're being followed. Cerberus frigate," I summed up. Val snapped his mandibles together.

"You should have just hung up on the bastard as soon as you saw him," he hissed.

"I didn't even know who Cerberus was exactly until he called! How was I to know?" I defended. Val flared his mandibles for a second before sighing.

"We'll sit you down and teach you who to avoid for the future. Right now, let's deal with this frigate," Val vowed. I grumbled slightly as the engines powered back up.

We blasted out from around the planet, gunning for them with several warning shots aimed in their direction. In a heartbeat, the _Normandy_ swerved, avoiding the rounds as its engines roared, turning to pursue us. The _Starquake_ banked violently around the asteroid belt, trying to find a good place to flip around and begin firing with a few warning shots. The _Normandy_ was a nippy little thing, able to keep up with us despite 2 less engines. I guess our larger size was playing against us in that sense.

After about 3 minutes of cat and mouse, of chasing each other through ring systems and asteroids, my battle lust was lined with curiosity.

"Why aren't they firing at us? They have a perfect shot," I asked slowly. Val frowned beside me.

"Maybe they're trying to instigate a false sense of security? Maybe they… want diplomacy?" he gagged at the word. I turned the words in my head, watching Lanster trying to meander through the ring system to slow down the smaller ship.

"Why would they want to damage us… if they want our help…?" I murmured. Val glanced down at me. "We have a habitual world here, yes?"

"Yeah, small garden world that belongs to the turians. Just a small colony there," Val answered.

"Alright… they want dialogue, let's give them dialogue," I muttered. "Lanster, go to that turian planet, get us somewhere nice and clear, away from the colony itself. We're going on foot to have a little chat," I ordered.

_"Aye, aye, Captain… I… I don't recommend it but aye, aye,"_ Lanster answered. I smiled.

"Noted, Lanster," I said, turning towards the elevator to suit up. Val was on my heels.

"Dell, I do not think this is a good idea. Cerberus are known for their dirty tactics. This could be a trap!" Val pressed in the privacy of the elevator. I kept my gaze ahead.

"The _Starquake_ will be hovering overhead, if they try anything we'll unleash every bit of firepower we can. We can have the shuttles out as well," I explained. "The Illusive Man may want me alive, he seems to think we have something he wants. Let's see what he wants," I strode out towards my room. Gideon was poking his head out of his room.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"Slight conflict. We're dealing with it," I assured gently. Val snapped his mandibles before diving into his room to suit up.

By the time I had my armour and helmet on, Val had beaten me to the cargo hold to have a team prepared for the potential firefight. Everyone put on their helmets. We didn't want to get sniped and lose our heads after all. The _Starquake_ was still rocking as Lanster got us to our location. Mat'al passed me the Paladin and Locust. I eagerly snapped them to my hips. I breathed heavily as Lanster twisted and flipped the _Starquake_, sending my stomach to my head and then into the wall in front of me as he slammed on the brakes, my Mag-Boots the only thing keeping me upright. Slowly, the cargo door was eventually lowered. With Val, Mat'al and Indira flanking me, I approached the hole, a heavy gale buffering me as I neared the edge of the ramp. My mag-boots held me in place against the wind, my God, how did I live without these things?! The _Normandy_ hovered nearby, as if unsure as to what we were planning.

I shielded my eyes from the low sun, pointing to the ground with my thumb, eyes on the _Normandy_. The _Starquake_ lowered towards the ground, allowing me and my team of commanders and the Combat crew onto the tall grass. I folded my arms meaningfully as the _Starquake_ backed off, closing the cargo door to keep the cannon line clear. After a few heartbeats, the _Normandy_ lowered, although it took longer for anyone to come out since they probably had to suit up. My shoulders tensed when people finally emerged. So they did want dialogue…

The group had a few soldiers to help counteract my Combat squad. The main force seemed to be a group of 4. A human female in a white jumpsuit and human male in N7 black armour flanked by a male turian in a dark blue armour that looked slightly damaged on the right side and male salarian in a white, red and black uniform, almost like a scientist or doctor. All wore helmets. I freed my Paladin and held it loosely at my side, pointing at the ground. Guns around me clicked as they followed my lead. The answering group also prepared weapons. I pulled my chin up a notch.

"You'll forgive me for being cautious. I've not heard good things about Cerberus," I opened, forcing the group to stop. The _Normandy_ backed off to match the _Starquake's_ height. "What do you want?"

"Your help," the female began. "We believe you have information that may prove useful to us,"

"Oh, I'm sure we have lots of information that would be useful, if not then interesting, for you. Give me one goddam reason why I should work with a terrorist organisation?" I countered.

"Well that depends, do you value your own species?" the woman asked. I snarled.

"What kind of fucked up question is that?!" I thundered.

"Would recommend caution," the salarian muttered to the woman, his voice quick like a hyperactive hamster. She glanced to him. "Female appears stressed, possibly prone to violence, would not recommend any further agitation. Assessing ground team, female appears to have strong interracial connections. Would avoid," he paused, breathing deeply for a time. "Discrimination for successful dialogue,"

"I'd listen to the salarian, lady," I snorted. "He has his head screwed on-" I muttered. I felt something on my shoulder, looking up to see Mat'al gently taking an extra step forward, eyes on the salarian. I frowned, concerned.

"…Solus? Mordin Solus?" Mat'al asked. I blinked, confused. He… knew this salarian? The new salarian regarded Mat'al curiously.

"Hmm, familiar voice, Akena Jungle accent, favours the left side, worn 2164 Mantis rifle, cold demeanour… can only be Delern," he concluded. I ogled, struggling to keep up with what the salarian even said let alone they recognised each other! "Was unware you left STG. Thought you liked teaching,"

"I did. But my latest… student got caught up in something far bigger than the STG could handle. I thought you retired, Solus," Mat'al countered.

"Did, though found areas needing my skill. Could help people rather than destroy," Mordin responded. "Opened a clinic on Omega,"

"Now there's a surprise, Mordin Solus still working despite retiring from the STG," Mat'al shook his head. He finally noticed my staring. "Mordin Solus, former STG member, brilliant scientist, doctor and geneticist. He was one of the scientists who helped create the genophage," Mat'al whispered. I blinked for a time.

"Please keep him away from Raisha, Shual and Verv," I eyed the krogan warily behind me. Mat'al grinned.

"I doubt Mordin would need any help," he chuckled. "Although, why are you helping Cerberus?"

"Need my expertise," Mordin answered simply. "Needed scientist, needed someone to help protect people, colonies. After protecting my clinic, I decided to leave for a time. It's in capable hands," Mordin answered.

"Any new scars? You were always terrible for them," Ma'tal seemed to grin. Mordin seemed to smile a touch, even removing his helmet. Without the helmet, I was revealed with a reddish salarian with a crisscross scar on the left side of his head. He was also missing one of his horns.

"One. Vorcha tried entering clinic," Mordin breathed. "Did not end well for him,"

"I would be ashamed if he didn't," Mat'al chuckled. Mat'al pulled off his helmet, holding his arms out to the side "As you can see, I still don't scar," Mat'al smirked. Mordin smiled knowingly.

"Ah, but scar on-" he began. Mat'al pointed a finger.

"Apart from that one," Mat'al warned coldly.

"Ok, I can't take this anymore," the turian chuckled. Mat'al's chilled gaze turned frozen as he turned to him. "Long time no see, I hope everything has settled down" he turned to regard the team, eyeing me especially. His eyes turned up towards the _Starquake_. He seemed to grin, hands going to his hips. "You got her a new paint job, too. Not really my colour but..." he chuckled. I frowned at him. He seemed to grin before his helmet came off. I gaped.

"Garrus!" I cried. It was Garrus! The full shebang of silver and winter blue eyes. Although, the entire right side of his face was wrecked, held together by a white pad. What had happened to him?

"The very same. Funny running into you, although from what you told me, I shouldn't be too surprised," he answered. I glanced to the opposing team, but I reluctantly put up my pistol. It began the wave of disarming. I wasn't about to shoot Garrus for God sake.

"Ha! What happened to you? I knew you were cheap, old man, but you can't even afford new armour?" Val snorted. Garrus grinned a touch.

"Oh? And how did those spores treat you, hmm?" Garrus asked. Val paused, turning to me. I flushed under his stare.

"Who do you think interrupted us when Marruns cornered us? Or who helped us find a seller for the medicine?" I grumbled. I heard him click his mandibles unhappily before turning to Garrus.

"Better than you, anyway," Val countered. Garrus seemed to raise a brow before Val grumbled. He reluctantly removed his helmet. Garrus whistled low.

"That isn't Lymphas spore damage," he commented. Val snarled.

"No, it's acid damage," Val answered haughtily.

"And why would you have acid damage?" Garrus asked, curious.

"The spores came in acid!" Val snapped. "Why, what happened to you?"

"A rocket," Garrus grinned. Val blinked slightly, trying to form a comeback.

"Ok, slightly worse than me. Slightly!" Val grumbled.

"Wait, wait, wait," the N7 male held up a hand. He pointed to Val. "Isn't he that turian… from the Citadel?" he turned to Garrus. Val frowned. Garrus nodded, grinning slightly. He turned to me, finger still frozen in place as it pointed at me. I growled.

"Are we taking our helmets off? Ok! Let's take off our helmets! Screw protection!" I flailed my arms above me.

"That's what she said!" Indira sang, pulling her helmet off. I gave her a 1-finger salute.

"Fuck you, Indira!" I snapped. The two humans glanced to each other before the female reluctantly removed her helmet, revealing a mane of black hair and pale blue eyes. Her lips annoyed me slightly, as if she had had a little bit too much Botox or something…

"I suppose we should introduce ourselves," I sighed sourly. I sighed heavily before yanking my helmet off. This whole mission was going completely off the rails! "Commander Indira Thermi'a, Commander Valérien Autillin, Commander Mat'al Delern and I am Captain Endellion Shaik. And you are?" The N7's hand fell limp to his side.

"I don't… believe it," he managed. I raised an eyebrow. He lifted his hands to his helmet, easing it free. My eyes widened, jaw slackening, every muscle refusing to work. Astonishment, bewilderment, fury. Those and more rocked me as I took in the strong jaw, the short black hair and blue eyes. The red scars on his face, that seemed to glow, were new but I knew that face. I knew that voice…

"Shepard?"


End file.
